Of Things To Come
by LoganAlpha30
Summary: -FINISHED-PS6. Buffy/Spike pairing, and many others. Cast of Angel in it as well.  Please r/r. Epilogue Now Up!
1. Default Chapter

OF THINGS TO COME  
  
DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE CHARACTERS.  
  
Time Frame: Takes Place after Season 6.  
  
CHAPTER 1  
  
No one bothered the two passengers at the back of the bus. The others riders had avoided them like the plague ever since the bus had left New York. And that was just the way the two riders liked it, for they were not in any sort of mood to have people interrupting their discussion. They quickly shut up every time a new person got on or someone left, as if fearing that their secrets would be found out. For truth be told neither one of the riders was where they were supposed to be. One was a mere shell of his former self, once he was powerful, dangerous, and a monster.  
  
But now he more resembled someone that was on their way out of this life. His breaths came in short and painful wheezes, his limbs feeling as if they would fall off, his body constantly wet with sweat, and he was constantly having to summon all of his strength to keep from vomiting all over himself and his most unlikely companion. The other passengers had often noticed her comforting him as if he was a small child that had awoken, bathed in sweat, from a particularly terrible nightmare. For her part the woman did her best to hide her appearance, for even though it was summer time she wore a long blue coat and a hat that she kept pulled down over her eyes as she constantly strived to avoid looking anyone in the eye.  
  
Much of the journey through Ohio had been uneventful, except for the time that the man had, seemingly awakening from a nightmare, begun feverishly shouting and convulsing, wailing about there being blood everywhere. The other passengers had all moved a seat up after that, wanting to put as much distance between them and the weird two passengers in the back as they could. Even the bus driver had started to think of asking them to get off, but during a stop while the other riders got off he had gone back to the couple in the back and asked them if it would be best if they got off the bus.  
  
The man had angrily stood up, bloodshot eyes and all, and grabbed him by the collar before lifting him off the floor of the bus. After that the bus driver had simply fearfully gone back to his seat, not venturing anywhere near the couple in the back of the bus again, and in hushed tones telling many of his riders to do the same. After fishing around in her bag for a bit the woman produced an apple and turned to her companion, letting a lock of red hair out from under her cap.  
  
"Here Spike, you really should eat something," the woman said as she tried to give the apple to her friend. He took it reluctantly as another episode had just subsided and he had to admit that he was a little hungry, whereas a few months earlier he would have been hungry for blood, but with his new predicament the mere sight of blood was enough to get the bile to rise in his throat.  
  
"Thanks Red," Spike said and took a big bite of the apple, nervously running a hand through his once bleached blond hair. Now it was more of a dark brown with blond tips that hung down around his shoulders. As he chewed he impatiently scratched his chin, scowling at the fact that he had forgotten to shave, again. It was not that having facial hair particularly bothered Spike, but it was the fact that now he surmised he looked like a bum to the other occupants of the bus.  
  
"I have to admit that I'm still not used to you.eating and all," Willow said as she managed a smile and pulled out a banana for herself. Just a few short weeks earlier she had been in England, being watched over and cared for by a coven of witches that Giles had contacted before he had returned to Sunnydale. And now here she was, riding on a bus with William the Bloody, and returning home several weeks ahead of schedule.  
  
"You and me both Red, but you still haven't told me how you wound up in Africa," Spike said eyeing Willow warily. Avoiding his gaze Willow fidgeted in her seat, desperately racking her brain for something to say.  
  
"Uh.would you believe it was all just a big coincidence," Willow said giving Spike a big smile, one that she hoped would give him the answer that he sought.  
  
"Ya right.and I'm Queen Victoria," Spike said snorting as he finished off the apple, and after looking around to see that no one was looking, and chucked it out the window.  
  
"Well now that you mention it you do kinda look like.," was all Willow could get out before she broke down in a fit of laughter that got a light hearted glare from Spike.  
  
"Oh sod off," Spike said as he turned and looked out the window before thinking, "but it's good to hear you laughing again." During their time together, which much of the early part had been taken up by her nursing him back to health after his transformation, Spike had managed to get out of Willow everything that had happened after he left town, from Tara's death to her going dark phoenix on the world. In those early days both of them had cried enough to float a boat. As the days wore on the topics of their discussion had changed to usually more lighter subjects. Spike had spent a good deal of time relearning what it meant to be a human, and Willow had not missed a single one of his missteps, usually asking him stupid questions like if he was sure that he had ever been human.  
  
"Ah come on Mr. Big Bad, you don't really mean that," Willow said looking at Spike with her puppy dog eyes, ones that she had first used on Xander and Oz and later Tara. After a second or two went by and Spike had not answered her Willow lightly hit him in the arm. "Yo, you awake over there, I said you don't mean that do you," Willow repeated with a smirk as Spike slowly turned his head and glared at her, a glare that he tried to make as mean and angry and possible, but now in his condition it was more of a look of confusion and desperation. He intended to stay silent and ignore her, but try as he might he just couldn't do it.  
  
"No," Spike said in a barely audible whisper. Willow's face brightened at his words, and Spike had to summon all of his will to keep himself from smiling back. Rather than keep looking at Willow Spike turned back to gazing out of the window, and he couldn't help but wonder, as he gazed out into the night sky, what Buffy was doing at the very minute.  
  
* * * * * * *  
  
"Hey Buffy, you going to eat that," Xander said as he reached for the last slice of pizza. Without looking back Buffy slowly shook her head and continued to stare out of the window with a sad look in her eyes. "Alright then, more for me," he said before taking a big bite. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Anya glaring at him with an unhappy look on her face. "What," was all her could muster before she started in.  
  
"Xander Harris what do you think you're doing, you've already had five pieces, if you keep eating like that you'll end up as big as a Shirago demon," Anya said scowling heavily at him and slapping the back of his hand, causing Dawn to crack up laughing.  
  
"Fat chance of that happening," Xander shot back over a mouthful of pizza and he did his best to cram the entire slice into his mouth before Anya could stop him.  
  
Buffy lazily glanced back at them without letting the sad look on her face leave. After the events that had led to Willow and Spike leaving things had gotten pretty much back to normal. There even seemed to be a shortage of vamps and demons about. Such a shortage had prodded Dawn to begin nagging her so much that Buffy had finally decided to let her come along on patrols, deciding that it was safe enough for Dawn to be out with her on patrol. To Buffy's relief they had encountered few vampires and almost no demons of any kind, making their nightly patrols end up just being some good exercise. At first they had intentionally avoided Spike's crypt, with Buffy saying that she wasn't ready yet, and she had told Dawn not to go there ever again. But as she had done many times before Dawn had disobeyed and started visiting the crypt on a regular schedule, coming up with the excuse that Clem would be lonely so that if Buffy ever found out she'd have a good comeback. Dawn had purposely avoided bringing Spike's name up for fear of hurting Buffy, preferring to discuss the vampire with Clem, as she had asked him repeatedly whether Spike had contacted him or if he knew when Spike was coming back.  
  
The answer had always been the same, with Clem telling her with a crestfallen look on his face that he had no idea where Spike was and no idea when or even if he was ever coming back. The first time Buffy had returned to Spike's crypt was a trip in which she had intended to put his duster back in the crypt, but the next morning while picking out clothes for the day she discovered that the old coat was still there, for she soon discovered that try as she might she just couldn't part with her only reminder of the man that she.loved? No I couldn't love him, he's a soulless evil monster that tried to rape me was the thought that she tried desperately to make stick, but on more than one occasion Dawn had peeked in through the keyhole and saw Buffy tightly hugging Spike's duster to her body, tears streaming down her face. When she had asked about it Dawn had only gotten silence in return.  
  
The break had also been good for the Scoobies that were left, as even though she was a Vengeance Demon again Anya had ended up agreeing with Xander to at least be civil about what was left of their relationship. But it hadn't taken to long before they were back to their old selves, acting for the most part as if Xander leaving her standing at the alter was no big deal, and for that Buffy was glad, as it meant that at least some of her friends were happy. Xander had gotten work with a construction company that had gotten the contract for several new building and as such needed skilled workers. And as such Xander could now afford to live in the apartment that had earlier taken both his and Anya's salaries to pay for.  
  
Dawn had even found herself a boyfriend. Dawn told Buffy that his real name was William but everybody called him Billy. Dawn made a point of making sure that Buffy and everyone else knew to never call him William, as when she had told Buffy that Billy's real name was William she noticed a very somber look suddenly appear on a face that had just moments before held a smile. It was obvious, to Dawn, that hearing Billy's real name had only stirred up memories of Spike in her sister's head.  
  
  
  
They had left Willow's room almost exactly as it had been the day she left, as Buffy had simply locked it and told Dawn to never even think about even trying to get into the room. Believing that if they didn't have to look at the room that the painful memories of what had happened after Tara's death would slip away. However it had not worked, as Buffy now often found her thoughts torn between worrying about how Willow was recovering in England with Giles and the whereabouts of her ex-lover. She had avoided even thinking of him as her boyfriend, but as the days wore on she had begrudgingly admitted to herself that in even though he had tried to rape her Spike was in all truthfulness her boyfriend.  
  
"So what do you think Buffy," Xander asked, snapping Buffy back to the here and now.  
  
"Wha.what, what do I think about what," Buffy said as she shook her head and yawned.  
  
"What color of crystals I should get next, I already ordered some more yellow ones you know the ones that look like little lemons, and I can't make up my mind between the orange ones that look like little carrots and the red ones that look like little cherries," Anya said with a very expectant look on her face.  
  
"I don't care, whichever you think is best," Buffy said lazily looking back and forth between Xander and Anya. Anya just stared back at her blankly, while Dawn looked at her with an overly concerned look on her face. Xander meanwhile was to busy trying to swallow the slice that he had just shoved into his mouth.  
  
"What's wrong Buffy, you okay," Dawn said as she stood up and closed the lid of the pizza box. Over the summer Dawn had actually grown an inch or two and was now a little taller than Buffy, something that Dawn hadn't let go unnoticed.  
  
"Yah Dawnie I'm fine, I guess I just can't stop worrying about Willow..and Spike," Buffy said with the last bit being uttered in only a whisper because she knew that if she had spoken Spike's name loud enough then Xander would have gone off on his spiel of how horrible Spike was and then make his pledge that if Spike ever came back Xander would stake him before he could even get near Buffy or Dawn.  
  
"Yeah.me to, but she's with Giles, he'll help her," Xander said as he sadly took a sip from his glass. Ever since Willow had left he had tried to put up a strong front and act like he wasn't worried to much about Willow, believing that she'd be back to her old self, and back with them in Sunnydale in no time. But as the summer wore on his demeanor had dramatically soured when it came to Willow, and lately he had avoided even mentioning her completely, as like usual with Xander he had let his fears and insecurities gain control over his mind. Anya on the other hand had not seemed to miss Willow very much. When questioned about it she had said that she had complete confidence in Giles and the coven and that it didn't help any to worry herself sick about, and on that thought she had begun buying what Xander considered way to many vitamins. Since then she had begun almost forcing Xander to take a bevy of them every day, in her words so that he wouldn't worry himself sick about Willow.  
  
For the next few moments they just stared at each other before Anya spoke up in her usual chipper voice, "Oh my look at the time, we really should be going, I have to go count my money.I mean go over the books". Xander began to protest but before he could utter a word Anya had drug him out of the house with all her might, leaving him only able to say a meager goodbye.  
  
"Okay Buffy enough games, you might have been able to fool Anya and Xander but you can't fool me, I know you to well, what's really bugging you," Dawn said with her hands on her hips and a look on her face that Buffy had seen many times on Joyce's face. The look that said I'm not leaving until I get the truth, and I don't think I'm going to like the truth.  
  
"When did you become the mother all of a sudden," Buffy quipped managing a weak smile. But seeing that her words hadn't changed the look on Dawn's face Buffy slowly sat down and with her head in her hands muttered, "I miss him Dawnie.I miss Spike".  
  
The words hit Dawn like a ton of bricks, after seeing Buffy curled up on her bed and crying herself to sleep while clutching Spikes duster Dawn had attributed it to just Buffy being sad about her whole state of affairs. But she hadn't considered that Buffy could actually miss Spike, after what he had done..  
  
END OF CHAPTER 1 


	2. Chapter 2

OF THINGS TO COME  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters.  
  
CHAPTER 2  
  
Light, the bane of a vampire's existence, the one thing that no matter how long he had lived Spike had never gotten used to, for he had discovered that even while he was human all those years ago he and the sun didn't get along very well. One day a friend of him had convinced him to come and work in the fields for a day, and after a day in which his arms had felt like they'd fall off if he dared even move them Spike had gotten a very nasty sunburn. A sunburn that had left such a bad memory in his mind that it was more the reason he stayed out of the sun then the fact that he'd burn up if he entered the sunlight as a vampire. Of course he had never told anyone about it, what would they think if they found out that William the Bloody was afraid of the sun because of a bad sunburn he had received decades ago.  
  
And because of that when the bus had just passed into Missouri and the sun had come up, its first rays startling Spike out of a particularly peaceful nap and a good dream of Buffy, Spike had quickly switched seats while Willow was up asking the driver a question. And he stayed in that seat despite her objections when she returned. "So you figured out what you're going to do when we get to Sunnydale," Willow asked as she drew a deck of tarot cards out of her coat. Spike eyed the cards warily, remembering the last time he had seen those cards. It had been when he had secretly asked Tara to give him a reading about him and Buffy. The reading had not gone well and afterwards Spike had spent the rest of the night cleansing a sewer tunnel of a group of particularly ugly demons, thinking he could work off his frustrations one hack at a time, but unfortunately for him it hadn't worked.  
  
"Ain't got a fucking clue in hell," Spike said as he avoided her gaze and glared out the window. They sat the next few seconds in silence before he sadly looked back at her with what Willow thought was a tear in his eye and said; "Besides she'll probably stake me first chance she gets, her or the Little Bit". Spike winced at the thought of how angry Dawn would be if she knew what had happened between him and Buffy the night that he left.  
  
"Nah Dawn wouldn't do that, and.and hey m-maybe she doesn't even know," Willow said with a smile as she tried to stay upbeat, which was hard around Spike these days as he seemed to drag everyone down into the doldrums with him. Since the day Willow had found him cowering in a cave she had tried to keep him positive, as she knew that in the coming battle he would be needed. There was that fact plus the one that she had been a little to morose for a long time before she had decided, after overhearing a supposedly secret meeting of the Watchers Council, that she had a better solution that the one that they had proposed, and that she was going to do something about it. So she had quietly ducked out of England after she slipped a powerful knockout potion into Giles evening tea and headed directly to Africa, the last place that an informant had told the Watchers Council that Spike had been seen. After spending a few days digging through the local legends she had come across one that sounded right and against her better judgment had gone to investigate. Truth be told she had been about to give up when she overheard a local villager speak of discovering a very sick white haired man in a cave, a cave that a very evil and powerful demon was said to reside. Then she had gone and found him.  
  
"Doesn't matter, she'll find out..ou...oh God not again," Spike began to say before violent convulsions racked his body as the image of a young Asian woman appeared in his fever dream. "The first slayer I.I..Ahhhhhhhhh," Spike sputtered out before convulsing so violently that he fell to the floor and screaming so loud that it jolted everyone on the bus into full consciousness, causing a baby or two to begin screaming which only added to the clamor, and only didn't cause the bus to crash because the bus driver had been quick enough to regain his composure after the screaming started.  
  
When he had first started convulsing Willow had hoped that this particular episode would be a short one as she wanted to get some more sleep, but to her horror it only got worse as after she realized exactly what trauma Spike was reliving he began coughing up a large amount of blood. "As if his.," Willow began to say before she quickly slid out of her seat and tried her best to comfort the still writhing Spike. Soon the floor around their seats became soaked with blood and as Willow tried her best not to throw up, which ultimately failed, she finished her thought in her head, thinking that it was as if Spike's body was trying to rid itself of the blood of the first slayer that he had killed the only way it knew how. With a horrified glance back the bus driver slammed on the brakes, sending many of the other passengers, that had gotten up out of their seats to avoid the bile and blood, crashing into each other and ultimately falling to the floor of the bus. Willow quickly propped one of her feet up against the back of one of the seats in front of her to stop herself and Spike from sliding forward into the pile of passengers. But Willow could not stop the blood from sliding towards the pinned passengers as when the bus driver had slammed on the brakes they had been going down a hill and she could only stare in horror at the face of one of the passengers as gravity pulled the blood downhill towards her.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"Ms Summers," a shrill voice rang out through the halls of Sunnydale Hospital. Buffy flinched as a rather heavyset woman came storming down the hallway, beady little eyes fixed on her.  
  
"Uh yes Ms Bigsby," Buffy said as she straightened up and stuffed the last pillow into her cart. A few weeks after Spike had left Buffy had quit her job at The Double Meat Palace and had found work at the Sunnydale Hospital. It wasn't a very glamorous job, she was mostly just a laundry lady, but the pay was about double what she had been earning and the hours weren't bad. The only real problem was Ms Bigsby, her boss.  
  
"You were late again today, what do you have to say for yourself," Ms Bigsby said impatiently tapping her foot. For a moment Buffy thought that in a way Ms Bigsby kind of looked like Dawn, but that thought soon dissolved.  
  
"I was.uh I promise it won't happen again," Buffy said with a meek smile as she pushed her cart into the next room.  
  
"Whatever, just see that you're on time tomorrow, or else," Ms Bigsby said as she turned on her heel and waddled down the hallway.  
  
"Stupid bitch," Buffy said softly after making sure that Ms Bigsby was to far away to hear. "Stupid fucking bitch," Buffy thought as she angrily began stuffing two pillows into her cart. "Whoa...I didn't just do that.," Buffy thought with a sudden look of dread as she pondered the last few moments. "Oh man I did.I really got to stop thinking about Spike, I'm starting to act like him," Buffy said as she nervously shook her head and went back to work. Ever since she had told Dawn that she missed Spike she couldn't seem to get the vampire out of her mind. She saw him in everything she did, everywhere she went. Not in a physical sense but she could have sworn that a time or two she had felt as if he was near her, or that she had thought that she had heard his voice on the wind. Racking her brain to think of something to do led her to switch on the television, after having to close the curtains to reduce the glare from the rays of the setting sun.  
  
"And finally tonight in our news of the weird, this one comes all the way from Missouri," the newscaster said with a small chuckle. Buffy was about to change the channel when what she heard next sent a chill up her spine, a chill much like the ones that she always got when danger was near. "This report comes from a Mr. Busry of Continental Bus Lines.he reports to have let two passengers off of his bus after one of them started vomiting blood and screaming about a slayer that he had killed," the newscaster said mockingly before he continued, "And the other passenger, a young woman, turned one of the passengers into a rat when told that she and her friend would have to get off of the bus, he reports that the couple had was headed towards Sunnydale California." After staring open mouthed at the screen for a few minutes Buffy was about to turn it off when the television began to smoke.  
  
"What the.," Buffy said as she slowly backed away from the television. "Great just what I needed, more trouble," Buffy thought as she warily eyed the still now non smoking television.  
  
* * * * * * *  
  
It had been hours since they had been kicked off of the bus and Spike's condition had barely changed. He had stopped vomiting the blood however he was still shaking and sweating heavily, completely unable to stand upright for very long. After cleaning herself and Spike up as best she could Willow had acquired lodgings for them in a little run down hotel, the Santa Rosa, that sat across the street from a used car dealership.  
  
"I-I thought you weren't supposed to use any bloody magic," Spike said slowly through his chattering teeth. Immediately upon entering the room Spike had flopped onto the nearest bed and curled up into a ball, holding his stomach and mumbling slightly.  
  
"I'm not, but you know what they say, desperate times call for desperate measures, besides that old lady had been staring at me for hours, it was just to creepy," Willow said with a sour look on her face before she noticed the concerned look on Spike's face. "Don't worry it's not permanent, she's probably already changed back by now, although it'd be funny if she didn't change back completely, like she got stuck with a rats ears and tail for the rest of her life," Willow said with a snicker and a small laugh before being silenced by a particularly angry glare from Spike. "Oh quit being such a party pooper," Willow said sadly as she stuck her tongue out at Spike.  
  
"You do that again and I'll.," Spike said angrily as he struggled to sit up, but he collapsed back down after getting a very queasy feeling in his stomach.  
  
"You'll what newly-human boy, cough up something on me," Willow said as she pulled a bag of Doritos out of the brown paper grocery sack that she had set down on the table. With a smile to Spike she opened the bag before popping a chip in her mouth. "Mmm this is so good," Willow said with a big smile in between bites. For all his worth Spike wished that he could quell the queasy feeling that had invaded his stomach ever since his last attack. After a snort Willow's way Spike rolled over onto his other side and began staring at the small clock on the wall, trying to lull himself to sleep. As sleep was the one place that he had discovered that he was frequently unhindered by the visions and attacks. He was finding that being human, again, was harder than he thought. He had not gone to Africa to regain his soul or his humanity, while his soul he had decided had been rightly and justly won he had regard his newfound humanity as almost a sick joke until Willow had stepped in and planted a seed of hope in his mind. "You want some," Willow said as Spike opened his eyes and saw the redhead crouching down in front of him with the open bag of chips in her hands and a smile on her face. After a moment of inactiveness from Spike Willow pulled out a chip and waved it under his nose, hoping he'd get the point.  
  
"Will you get that bloody thing away from me, I said I'm not hungry," Spike said starting to shout but then calming down. Even though he'd never admit it to Willow the chip did smell good.  
  
"You know if you want a second chance with Buffy you're going to have to be alive to do it," Willow said as she laid the chip of the bed in front of Spike, who eyed it hungrily.  
  
"What makes you think I'll even get one.after what I did.I don't deserve one," Spike said squeezing his eyes shut as his soul cruelly reminded him of what he had done, showing the whole terrible scene on the backs of his eyelids as if they were a movie screen.  
  
"Well I.I.," Willow said with a healthy smile on her face as she furiously wracked her brain for something to tell the onetime vampire, but upon coming up with absolutely nothing she plopped down onto the floor beside the now teary eyed Spike.  
  
"I mean even if she did.who's to say that it'd even last.I mean look at you and Tara.," Spike said as he sadly looked downward at Willow, who at the mere mention of Tara's name appeared as if she was about to tear up herself. "Oh god.I'm sorry Red.I shouldn't have said anything," Spike said with an angry moan.  
  
"N-No it's okay.I'm okay.I know that Tara's.Tara's.," Willow started to say before the tears began to flow. With a low moan Spike slid off of the bed and wrapped his arms around Willow and held her as she sobbed long into the night.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
The demon stood motionless as it watched for the signal. It had been standing at this spot, the spot where the mortal witch had almost brought about the end of the world, ever since the sun had finally slipped into its slumber for the night. After finishing it's supper, a combination of human brains and entrails, the demon was more than ready to begin its work, the work for which it had been summoned into existence.to kill the Slayer and anyone who got in its way, no matter their affiliation. Suddenly a bright white sphere appeared mere feet above the demons head before it sped into the sky and finally exploded in a shower of light. "The signal has been given," the demon said gleefully rubbing its hands together before it turned and stalked off into the night with evil intent.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
The front desk clerk on duty was about to close his books for the night when the front doors shot open and a odd looking couple strolled in, nervously looking around as if they were being followed. With a sigh the clerk took a better look at the couple. The woman seemed to be a few years younger than the man, long brown hair pulled away from her face in a loose ponytail, her eyes fixed on an old painting that hung on the wall next to her. The clerk tried not to stare at the girl but it didn't take long for him to be drawn in by her beauty, not beauty pageant looks, but looks that she seemed to try and hide from all, except for the man beside her. Catching a quick glance from the woman made the clerks blood run cold, for he saw not the look that he had expected, that of a young woman in love, but of a woman who had just found her hearts desire and was afraid of losing it. Shaking his head the clerk turned his attention to the man, who now had his hand on the woman's shoulder as he was obviously trying to calm her down. The man didn't look very special, taller than the woman with short brown hair that the clerk guessed hadn't been washed or combed in a while and a pair of dirty glasses adorned his tired looking face, with what looked like the beginnings of a beard, but the clerk's eyes widened when the man turned towards him and he saw the large scar on the man's neck.  
  
"Uhm hello, the sign outside said that you had a vacancy," the man said with a smile as he nervously took his glasses off and began absentmindedly cleaning them with a white handkerchief that he took out of his pocket. It was obvious that this was something that the man had done many times before.  
  
"Yep, but it's only one room, that okay for you and.," the clerk said as he nodded his head in the woman's direction.  
  
"My wife.yes one room will be just fine," the man said quickly scrawling their names in the ledger after the clerk showed him where.  
  
"Here you go room ten, out the door and to the right," the clerk said with a smile before the man took his wallet out and started to open it. "Oh no you don't owe me anything, the room's already been paid for, in fact by the couple that rented the room right next to yours, said I'd be getting a couple that matched your description in here later, so have a happy evening," he said, after a quick look at the name in the ledger, as a look of shock on the mans face soon changed to one of acknowledgement, as if he had been expecting it but hadn't wanted to push his luck.  
  
"Are.are you sure, did they say anything else," the man said with slightly curious expression on his face as the woman warily glanced his way, absentmindedly rubbing the ring on her left ring finger.  
  
"Like I said before.a couple matching your description later tonight.and if you're Wesley and Faith Wyndam Price like is says here then you're the right people," the clerk said with a smile as the woman walked up to the counter.  
  
"Yep that's us, newlyweds.and all that shit," the woman said with a half smirk before grabbing the mans arm with one hand and the room key with the other before starting to pull him away from the counter before she continued by saying, "Come on Wesley, we need to get some sleep." Leaving Wesley to only meagerly wave goodbye before they were outside again.  
  
"You could have at least let me give the man a tip for his trouble," Wesley said looking down into Faith's frowning face.  
  
"Enough talk, we didn't stop her to chit chat," Faith said as they walked up to their room.  
  
"Should we talk to them tonight or wait till tomorrow," Wesley said as slid the key into the lock, turned the knob and opened the door.  
  
"Nope, besides we have more important things to do right now," Faith said pushing Wesley down onto the bed and closing the door behind her.  
  
"Shouldn't we get the bags," Wesley said as Faith slid out of first her pants and then threw her shirt across the room before she dove on top of him, her slayer strength pinning him to the bed.  
  
"Hmm still talking," Faith mumbled with a smile before she leaned down and began kissing him as she slid one hand between them and began unbuckling his belt.  
  
END OF CHAPTER 2 


	3. Chapter 3

OF THINGS TO COME  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the new ones I create.  
  
CHAPTER 3  
  
The sun slowly crept up over the horizon, shining through the dingy window and bathing the lovers in its soft glow. Their bodies intertwined in a loving embrace, neither wanting to stir and stop the shared dream that currently consumed them, a dream that after some discussion the two had decided was showing them their hearts true desire. A dream of things to come, a dream of them still fighting the good fight many years down the road, protecting their children from the horrors of the night, before slipping back under the covers and letting their lust again consume them. But on this day the sun cruelly focused on their eyelids, with the light of a new day mercilessly penetrating them, rousing them from their slumber.  
  
"Ah man morning already," Faith moaned as she slowly slid off of Wesley, the sweat that covered their bodies making it easier to pull away. Over the course of the night she had, after a quick and brutal bout of sex with Wesley, slipped out and went on a short patrol feeling as if she needed to work off some energy. But after finding, and dusting, a small nest of vampires she had returned to the hotel even more energized than ever and had pulled Wesley out of his slumber to go at it once more, with her night finally ending as she collapsed on top of him, completely exhausted but happy.  
  
"Hmm morning," Wesley murmured as his eyes flittered open before smiling as his vision fell on Faith. He remembered little of the night before, save for the sex with his new bride. Their courtship, if that's what it could be called, hadn't taken very long. Shortly after she had been released from prison Faith had sought him out, first at the Hyperion. But upon learning that he no longer worked there she had scoured the city night and day looking for her former Watcher. She had finally found him slumped in a corner of a local bar, drowning his sorrows away and stuffing himself with peanuts. To say he was surprised to see her was an understatement, as she ended up having to execute the Heimlich maneuver to dislodge a peanut that had gotten stuck when he had gasped. He had kept her at arms length for the next several weeks, but her repentant attitude, or was it just the beer talking.he had never exactly figured out which but now he no longer cared, that ended up melting the walls of ice that he had set between them.  
  
"What are you thinking about," Faith said with one of her killer smiles, the same smile that she wore on their wedding day. They had not gone through the normal wedding ceremony, rather they had skipped town and spent a few nights in Las Vegas. And on the morning that they intended to leave they had awoken to find bands on their fingers and a legal marriage license lying on a nearby table. They had both sworn that the marriage was to be annulled but after a few days each had started coming up with one reason after another why they couldn't annul the marriage that day. Then finally they had just given up and decided to play the hand that they were dealt and see what happened. That day had been two months earlier, and so far neither one had complained.  
  
"Wondering if I remembered to pack any liquor," Wesley said with a sly smile as he sat up in bed and threw away the covers.  
  
"I don't know, I think you drank the last of it last night, or was that me," Faith said with a hearty laugh, not the one that Wesley had heard in his nightmares after leaving Sunnydale but the one that he had only heard after they had started dating.  
  
"Shit, ah well guess that just means we'll have to get dressed and then meet up with Willow and Spike," Wesley quipped as he leaned down and kissed Faith on the lips before he slung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood up.  
  
"You sure we can trust them, I mean they've both made a whole hell of a lot of mistakes lately," Faith said as she sat up in bed, letting the sheet slip down, exposing her lithe form to his gaze. "Because you know we could always just.," she said letting her voice trail off as she gave Wesley a seductive smile.  
  
"I'm sorry luv, but we have to.and it's not like we're any more deserving of trust right now after all," Wesley said as he walked around the bed. Looking back Wesley saw Faith's face twist into an angry scowl. "And don't you give me that look, it's important that we discover the reason behind that phone call I got from Willow a few days ago," he said summoning up a smile, hoping it'd ease her now apparently foul mood. Wesley had received the call, from a very impatient and somewhat fearful Willow, four days earlier. A call begging him to help her as she told him that she couldn't ask any of her friends back in Sunnydale as she seemed to be wary to trust any of them, a thought which had confounded Wesley to no end and sent him scouring through his books for something that would explain her reluctance.  
  
  
  
"Knowing her it's probably something stupid," Faith said plainly before tossing aside the rest of the sheet and rising to her feet, not seeming to care that neither she nor Wesley, at that moment, had a shred of clothing on.  
  
"It might be, but if we don't meet them then we'll never know, besides Spike's involvement in this intrigues me, why would Willow trust him and not Buffy.most peculiar," Wesley said as he began to walk towards the bathroom before a hand from behind spun him around.  
  
"So what else is new Wes," Faith said before leaping into Wesley's arms and almost knocking him off his feet as she wrapped her legs around him before letting him carry her into the bathroom.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
From its vantage point inside an abandoned car the demon calmly kept watch on the occupants of the hotel. The demon had originally been ordered to just follow the witch and her traveling companion, who at first the demon's master had not been aware of. But the demon had quickly discovered his identity, replaying the scenes that it had previously witnessed over and over again in it's head. It had been watching them since they arrived at the airport, the witch keeping herself almost completely covered as to avoid detection and her companion had been quickly determined to be the master vampire known as Spike. Their arrival had been late in the night so as to try and slip back into the country without being noticed. That first night had not caused the demon or it's master much concern. But what had truly alarmed the demon and it's master had come the following day when the witch and her companion had taken a short walk into the center of Central Park, and in the middle of the day nonetheless. The demon couldn't believe it's eyes, William the Bloody, master vampire that was feared throughout much of the world.walking around in broad daylight. After hearing of this occurrence the demon's master had demanded to know everything.  
  
So because of that the demon had started following the couple, even going so far as to board the bus that they had taken to get them across the country. The demon chuckled as it remembered the disguise it had used, that of an old haggard looking man. The disguise could not have been farther from the truth as now that the demon was alone and away from direct sunlight, its death knell, the demon had reassumed its true shape. That of a featureless sea of deep blue muck held together in the form of a human. The demon's master had chosen this demon specifically for this mission because of its odd ability. For many demons and other odd creatures could change their appearance, but this demon was special, for it could mimic everything about a person.even being able to go so far as to mimic a vampire well enough so as to have it's own game face. "They do not seem to be in possession of any of the artifacts, my master will be most pleased," the demon thought with a snicker that escaped through nonexistent lips. "But the appearance of the rogue slayer and watcher is most unexpected, I must learn more," the demon said in a low guttural voice as it searched around the ransacked insides of the car. It located what it was looking for under the body of a hitchhiker it had killed the night before, leaving only the skin behind as the demon loved using the skins as its calling card. The demon looked at the slip of paper intently, mentally reciting the names on it and committing them to memory as this particular species of demon had a memory like no other. "Time to go," the demon said as it pulled up on the door latch and stepped into the new day's sun.  
  
A passing motorist kicked up a large cloud of dust into the demon's face causing it to choke. After that a figure stepped away from the car and began walking towards the hotel as it thought, "Stupid humans.license plate number AKD 3049, I'll remember them.I might want a snack after this". On this morning the front desk clerk was mopping the floor when he heard the small bell tinkle as the front doors opened. "Oh hello.good morning..," were the last words that escaped his lips, as he stared into his own face, before the demon reached out and snapped his neck with a grin before it dragged the body behind the counter and had a quick breakfast as it waited for the customers of the day.  
  
* * * * * * *  
  
Visions of Buffy danced in his head, ones of her in every conceivable temperament, from seething hatred to unadulterated joy. Then came an apparition of Buffy running towards him with fear in her eyes. "Spike.wake up," a voice called out to him before the image of Buffy was erased and replaced with the blinding glare of the sun followed by Willow glaring at him.  
  
"Bloody hell Red," Spike shouted as he jumped in surprise and almost fell off of the bed. Slowly the night before came back to him. After spending hours consoling the crying witch Spike had finally managed to get her to lye down on the other bed in the room. Willow had ended up crying herself to sleep whereas Spike did not remember when sleep had taken him.  
  
"Rise and shine sleepyhead," Willow said with an honest smile as she shoved something in Spike's face. At first he didn't know what it was, but then his nose began to register an oddly familiar smell, that of a cherry Jolly Rancher.  
  
"This supposed to be breakfast," Spike said chuckling as he unwrapped the small candy and shoved it through his parched lips, slowly licking it with his tongue so as to gain every ounce of taste that he could. As a vampire he had hardly ever eaten anything, besides the human and later animal blood that he had needed to keep him going, but for some reason he had become addicted to any red candy, especially Jolly Rancher's and cherry flavored taffy.  
  
"Well the food supply is pretty much gone and I've got to save some for when we get to Sunnydale and have to find somewhere to hide out, and I don't think that your old crypt will do," Willow said, eyeing the ex- vampire and smiling at the last part as she saw the idea cross his mind.  
  
"So what do we do now then, those damn visions seemed to have eased off for now." Spike said with an appreciative smile as he sat up in bed and ran a hand through his hair.  
  
"We go see if Wesley and Faith are here yet and then.," was all Willow could get out before she noticed Spike staring at her like he thought she was a lunatic. "What are you looking at me like that for.I didn't turn all ugly all of a sudden did I," Willow said with a crooked smile as she lightly punched Spike in his shoulder. The ex-vamp glared at her as he stood up and started searching his pockets. "Now what are you doing," she said with a smile as she began to gather her things and head toward the bathroom.  
  
"Where the fuck are my cigarettes.they were just here a minute ago.weren't they.," Spike said absentmindedly as he patted down the pockets of his jeans with an angry scowl on his face. Willow stopped at the door of the bathroom and cast him a bemused glance before she slipped into the bathroom and shut the door behind her.  
  
"You don't have any remember.you gave them up when you became human," Willow said through the door as she turned on the water in the shower. Mentally kicking himself for forgetting about his promise to stop smoking Spike emitted a low growl as he headed for the door. Willow said something through the bathroom door but Spike ignored it as he opened the door and stepped out in the bright morning light. He almost collapsed as the glare of the sun hit him full force in his eyes, eyes that had not been in contact with direct sunlight for over a century.  
  
"Fuck," Spike growled as he quickly covered his eyes and began stumbling away from their room. He hadn't gone far when the nearby door opened and a yawning Wesley slowly sauntered out, the two almost colliding. Spike whirled around, ready for anything but eased up and almost smiled at the sight of the former watcher. "Fancy meeting you here," Spike said with a smirk as he yawned, something he was still getting used to.  
  
"Hello Spike, so I see that the rumors of William the Bloody becoming human.flesh and blood.are true," Wesley said taking a moment to study the man standing next to him. Wesley hadn't seen the ex-vamp in a few years and he had to admit that he looked pretty close to exactly how he remembered him, except for the facial hair and the brown hair with the only blond hair in sight on the tips.  
  
"Looks that way.so how's married life treating you," Spike said trying to sound as if he didn't care while in reality he cared a great deal. Before getting his soul he hadn't cared what happened to either Faith or the ex- Watcher, but now he seemed to want everyone to have a happy ending, he had told himself it was just wishful thinking.trying to keep that gnawing feeling that he had kept away from returning to the forefront of his mind. That he wanted everyone else to be happy because he knew that he never would be, Buffy would never take him back and he'd be alone again.but this time all alone.  
  
"Pretty good.Willow here to," Wesley said with a smile as he pulled his glasses off and started to clean them, an act that elicited a hearty chuckle from Spike.  
  
"Haven't changed at all," Spike said softly before he noticed Wesley glaring at him and straining to hear before he said, "Yah she's getting ready."  
  
"So how much has she told you," Wesley said as he stuffed the handkerchief back into his pocket and returned his glasses to their place on his face.  
  
"Not much.but I know that she's scared to say the rest of it.and that's what scares me," Spike said looking grimly over at Wesley who returned the look and nodded his head in silent agreement.  
  
* * * * * * *  
  
"Come on Dawn.if you don't hurry up I'm going to be late for work," Xander yelled as he looked at his watch as he sat, with Billy beside him, in his car in Buffy's driveway. He had just picked Billy up a few minutes ago at his house and was on his way to dropping the two young lovebirds off at the mall before he continued on to the jobsite. Billy was about to say something when the front door burst open and Dawn came fuming out of the house with Buffy close behind her. "Uh oh.," Xander mumbled as he and Billy quickly looked away and tried to act like they had become fascinated with the car's radio.  
  
"Dawn stop right there we're not through yet," Buffy yelled as she followed Dawn, who was trying to act like their argument was no big deal but Xander noticed that she was hurrying a little more than usual. Without responding Dawn quickly hopped into the back seat as Billy got out and held the seat forward for her. "This is not over Dawn I need to talk to you.," Buffy said very angrily as Billy sheepishly sidestepped her and got back in his seat and shut the door. "Hey Buff why don't ya.," was all Xander could get out before being silenced by an icy stare from Buffy. Shrugging his shoulders Xander turned the key in the ignition and the car roared to life.  
  
"Just leave me alone," Dawn moaned from the back seat as she crossed her arms and looked away. Buffy looked like she was about ready to rip the door off of its hinges and pull Dawn kicking and screaming back into the house when she forcefully calmed herself and gave a mock smile.  
  
"Fine Dawn.but we will talk about this when you get home, I promise," Buffy said scowling heavily before turning to Xander. "The mall and nowhere else," she said as Xander pushed himself back against his seat trying to avoid her glare. Xander slowly nodded his head and swallowed hard as he nervously backed his car out of the driveway before taking off for the mall with a final meek wave to Buffy.  
  
Xander waited until he was out of site of the Summer's house before he decided to find out what the fight had been all about. "So.uh Dawn, you care to enlighten us on what you and Buffy were fighting about," he said with a smile that he hoped would get Dawn to loosen up a bit, but Dawn just rolled her eyes and looked away. "I'll take that as a no then," Xander mumbled as he turned his attention back to the road.  
  
"Ah come on Dawn.remember we're on your side.well at least I am," Billy said thinking that maybe he could get a better reaction from Dawn. After a few seconds he was about ready to give up but Dawn's words told him that he had succeeded.  
  
"She just doesn't want to admit it.," Dawn said letting her voice trail off as she tried to glare a hole in the back of Billy's head.  
  
"Doesn't want to admit what Dawnie," Xander said with a small laugh as he started slowing down so that he wouldn't run the stop sign a little ways ahead.  
  
"That she's in love with Spike," Dawn said quickly and cleanly before Xander could object to any of it.  
  
"What?", Xander choked out as he jerked his head around to look at Dawn.  
  
"Xander.the stop sign," Billy yelled before he quickly moved his foot over and slammed on the brakes, the car screeching to a halt just inches past the stop sign. He and Dawn spent the next few seconds trying to catch their breath and make sure that they were both okay.  
  
"You okay Xander," Dawn said worriedly from the back seat as Xander nervously checked for oncoming traffic before, with his hands and jaw shaking, he pulled past the stop sign and towards the mall.  
  
END OF CHAPTER 3 


	4. Chapter 4

OF THINGS TO COME  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the new ones that I created.  
  
CHAPTER 4  
  
As Wesley and Willow went to pick up their food at the counter Faith took the time to get a closer look at the newly human Spike. If she hadn't known that he was once a vampire she wouldn't have noticed a change. He had changed from his old black jeans and white sleeved and now wore normal blue jeans and a light blue short sleeved shirt, both compliments of Wesley. At first Spike had vehemently resisted changing his clothes at all, but after Willow told him that he had begun to smell badly he had reluctantly took a shower, no small feet as he had never truly taken a shower before in his life or un-life. It had taken a few minutes of a closed door session with Wesley, who told Faith as Spike was taking his shower that Spike had asked him how one takes a shower, before Spike had reluctantly agreed. The one glaring difference Faith did notice was that Spike was sitting in broad daylight and not going up in flames like she had always hoped he would one day.  
  
"What," Spike said sourly as he pulled out an Equal packet and began reading through its ingredients. Even though he had agreed with many of her methods Spike had never truly liked, or trusted, Faith. Now it wasn't that he could trust Buffy but he knew that at least he knew what to expect with Buffy. But with Faith he never knew what was going to happen, and he hated that he had that same feeling now.  
  
"I didn't say anything," Faith said as she shifter her gaze from Spike to the front counter and tried to lose herself by marveling at how tight her new husbands jeans were, the same jeans that she had picked out for him before they had left Los Angeles.  
  
"Fine, but I bet ya just got all kinds of questions you want to ask me about my newfound humanity," Spike said giving Faith his trademark smile, the one that he had always used on Buffy. On Buffy it usually garnered a positive response, but Faith was an entirely different kettle of fish as Spike retreated a bit when he saw her head whip back in his direction and her eyes coldly fix on him.  
  
"You just don't know when to shut up do ya, is that why Buffy let you fuck her, to stop you from talking," Faith said with the cruelest sneer that she could muster. She was pleased to see that her words affected him as they did when she saw the color drain from Spike's face and his hands curl into fists, as if he was a coiled cobra about ready to strike out in anger instead of defense. And he would have had not a single mother with her twin boys walked past with a particularly squeaky stroller.  
  
While Spike and Faith traded barbs and insults Wesley had intended his and Willow's stay in the line to be used to gather more information from the witch. Except in the end it turned out that she beat him to the punch as she launched into her well of questions before he could even utter a word. "Never thought I'd see you two together, I mean after what she did to you.I mean uh.maybe I shouldn't have said anything," Willow said suddenly blushing before she turned away and stared at the floor. Wesley was about to respond when she looked up again and began her first round of questions. "So tell me.what finally did it, love spell, a lucky charm, drugs," Willow said adding the last guess softly so as to not bother the others in line.  
  
"N-no nothing like that it just kind of happened, I really don't remember exactly," Wesley answered back with what he hoped would satisfy Willow's vast bottomless curiosity. In truth his response was a giant lie, as he remembered that night perfectly, in all its painful splendor.  
  
  
  
# # # # # # # #  
  
Many weeks earlier.Los Angeles  
  
They had spent much of the night clearing out one vampire haunt after another, with Faith diving into the fray every time, against his wishes. They hadn't had much trouble that night as most of the vampires that they encountered were only fledglings and still unsure of exactly what had happened to them, as such Faith had taken little time in turning them into tomorrow's trash. But it all went south when Faith begged and pleaded with him to investigate just one more nest. Against his better judgment, and accompanied by a few suggestive looks and words from Faith, he had finally relented.  
  
"I knew you'd see it my way," Faith said with that look in her eye, the look that Wesley had even noticed that Buffy got when she knew that she would be hunting vampires. But with Faith that look somehow was joined by a look that her entire body took on, one that Wesley had tried hard to deny that it had always turned him on. Shaking the thoughts from his mind Wesley turned and started off towards the next location with Faith jogging to catch up. After a short walk they came upon an old decrepit warehouse that looked like it should have been demolished years earlier. All over the structure numerous chunks of plaster and brick had broken apart and fell to the alley and concrete below.  
  
"Are you sure this is where your informant said the nest was Faith," Wesley said meekly, his voice registering a little more fear and uncertainty than he had wanted to show. To his relief Faith didn't say anything but only shrugged her shoulders and nodded slightly before she pulled her favorite stake from the back pocket of her blue jeans. To his surprise Faith deviated from her earlier behavior by nodding her head towards the door and giving him a questioning glance as if asking if he wanted to go first. "I know I'm going to regret this in the morning but here goes nothing," he said as he headed for the entrance after Faith tossed him her backup stake. Upon his entrance into the building Wesley was immediately struck by the foul odor that seemed to hang in the air. He was about to warn Faith about the smell but like usual she barreled in behind him, ready for a fight.  
  
"Fuck, nobody's here," Faith said with an angry scowl on her face as she looked around the warehouse and saw nothing through what little light filtered in through the dirt encrusted windows.  
  
"Now Faith, a first impression can often be an incorrect one," Wesley said cautiously as he crept up next to Faith. After a quick glance around the building he was dismayed to find that he came up with the same outlook as Faith.  
  
They were about to pack it in when a shot rang out of the darkness and Wesley felt a sharp ice cold pain in his left shoulder. "Wes," Faith screamed angrily as she whirled around and was horrified, even though she would never admit it, at the sight of her watcher collapsing to the ground in an ever increasing pool of his own blood. She started towards him but hit the floor as another shot rang out, her slayer hearing telling her that the shot had not come from a gun as Faith had grown quite accustomed to that sound. No this sounded more like a spell-backed weapon. Before she could get back to her feet what seemed like an army of vampires exploded out of the darkness, howling and gnashing their fangs at her. "Oh shit," she growled angrily as she leapt to her feet and staked the first vampire to come near her.  
  
The fight lasted for what seemed like hours and even Faith had begun to admit that her strength was beginning to ebb and that her death, and Wesley's if he wasn't already dead, would not be to long in coming. But just when she felt the last of her strength begin to wane the first blessed rays of sunlight shone in, refracted in all directions by the cracks in the many windows. The vampires that were not yet dust burst into flames as Faith sank to the ground, fighting a losing battle against her weary muscles all the way down. It had taken her several minutes to regain enough strength to help Wesley. "Come on Wes.don't be dead," she said through chattering teeth, as the morning had dawned cold and windy. She rolled him over onto his back and felt for a pulse. "Yes," she said feeling almost as if she were about to cry. But she figured that she had to hurry as although he had a pulse it looked like Wesley had already lost a good enough blood to warrant an expedient rescue.  
  
An hour later the front door to Wesley's apartment burst open and tired and bleeding slayer dragged her unconscious Watcher in after her before setting him on the floor gently and frantically looking for blankets to warm him. Faith flew to the refrigerator and almost broke the door as she ripped it open. With hands shaking badly she pulled out a few blood bags that Wesley had stored their in case he had become injured and they couldn't make it to the hospital. He had wanted Faith to do the same but she had decided against it, telling him that her slayer healing factor would save her. But right now she wished with all her might that she could let him borrow that ability for a while. Pushing aside her injuries she rushed into the bathroom and retrieved his special first aid kit before she vaulted over the couch and landed at his side. "Come on stay with me Wes, I can't.don't want to lose another Watcher," Faith said with her voice shaking a bit as a salty tear slipped to the floor.  
  
After ripping his shirt off she quickly cleaned the wound and bandaged it before she set up the blood drip into him just as he had shown her, mentally rejoicing that she had actually listened to him on the day that they had gone over giving someone a blood transfusion in a pinch. As the blood slowly seeped into him Faith was horrified to discover that although his heartbeat had grown stronger his body was beginning to grow cold. "N- no.don't leave me.I'm not ready to," was all she could get out before the tears began to flow, and even with all her slayer strength she could not stop them from coming, as in those tears seemed to be all the tears that she had not allowed herself to shed earlier.  
  
"Faith...so c-cold," Wesley mumbled out as he began to shake slightly. This only added to the horror that had seemingly gripped Faith by the throat and would not release its icy grip. Fearing the worst she left his side for a brief instant and stumbled into his bedroom before rifling through his closet and frantically grabbing any blanket she could find. She got back to Wesley's side to discover that his teeth were now chattering loudly. With a fearful squeak she began frantically wrapping the blankets tightly around his body, hoping that they would help warm him back up. Although the blankets did begin to raise his body temperature Faith could see that something a little extra would be needed if her Watcher was to survive. She wracked her brain for any other useful knowledge but nothing came to the forefront. "Well there's only one other thing that I can try.fuck it," Faith said after taking a second to decide to proceed or not. With a renewed fervor she tore her blood stained shirt off and threw it over the back of the couch before she went to work on her shoes.  
  
She had to grunt and actually resort to her slayer strength to get her shoes off after the shaking in her hands had caused knots to form in both of the laces. She kicked them off to the side before she got to her knees and unzipped her jeans before slithering out of them and pushing them behind her. Mere moments later she was clothed only in her formerly white, but now a sickly pink, socks. "Well here goes nothing," she said and with some effort was able to squeeze her sweat drenched body in-between Wesley and the sheets, letting out a small hiss as her breasts touched the cold skin of his chest. "Please let this work," was the last though that went through her mind as the tears began to flow unheeded down her cheeks and she drifted off into sleep.  
  
The next morning she had been ecstatic to find a thoroughly weakened but alive Wesley looking down at her. Even though her slayer side screamed at her to stop what she was doing her human side and later her heart just would not let go. And so they stayed much that way for the next couple of weeks. With the only differences being that after that first day Faith had moved him to his bed and she had left to steal more blood from the blood- banks, and because of this her Watcher had recovered. Although months later Wesley still experienced a fair amount of stiffness in that shoulder. But after he had recovered their routine of her lying naked next to him, sharing their body heat, had not changed and it later evolved into one night of passion that soon had become two.then three.and so a love affair was born between Slayer and Watcher, one that even though it was forbidden they hoped would stand the test of time, with only fate as their judge.  
  
# # # # # # # #  
  
"Hey, earth to Wesley, our food's here," Willow said loudly as she shook the seemingly dazed Watcher out of his stupor.  
  
"Wha-what," Wesley said shaking his head as the memory of that time slowly faded back into the patchwork of his mind. He turned to see Willow holding a tray that had their food on it and he decided that he was indeed hungry and was ready for breakfast.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
Dawn had dreaded leaving the mall all day, for she knew that at home waited an extremely pissed of slayer. So after Xander dropped her off back in front of her house and sped away, still mumbling something about how it should be impossible for Buffy to possess any feeling for Spike other than hatred and vengeance, she debated whether or not to go inside. But after a minute or two of standing on the doorstep she slowly went inside just as the phone rang. "I'll get it," Dawn yelled out hopefully loud enough so that wherever Buffy was in the house she would hear. A tired voice on the other end of the line greeted her.  
  
"Buffy are you there it's urgent," Giles said almost in a panic before he calmed himself.  
  
"Giles, is that you," Dawn said as the beginnings of a smile crept upon her lips. She had been in a funk ever since the he had left Sunnydale and taken Willow with him. Dawn had been happy to see Willow leave as after what Willow had almost allowed to happen to her trusting Willow was not high on Dawn's list. But the old Watcher was altogether different matter. Dawn had noticed that when he was around Buffy seemed to be able to bounce back from anything, using him as a sounding board for her grievances and as someone that she knew that she could trust with her, and Dawn's, life. But now with both Giles and Spike gone Dawn had noticed that Buffy had seemed to let her mind wander off more than usual, and she had noticed that Buffy just didn't seem to be putting as much effort into her patrols as she had only days earlier.  
  
"Y-Yes Dawn it's me, listen is Buffy there.it's extremely urgent," Giles said as he removed a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the sweat that had congealed heavily on his forehead. When he called he had hoped to get Buffy on the first try and to warn her about the council's plan. But after finding that the only way he would be able to warn Buffy was to do it in person he had decided to call ahead first and figure out just how far along the council's plan was.  
  
"Uh she's around here somewhere but I don't see her right now.can I take a message and she can call you back," Dawn said getting impatient as she began to almost sense Giles's emotions through his voice.  
  
"N-No that's okay.but tell me has anything rather strange happened," Giles said as beads of sweat began forming on his brow.  
  
"Like what," Dawn said starting to tire of the conversation and looking for a quick way out.  
  
"Oh you know like demonic temples rising up, high schools blowing up destroying many of my irreplaceable books, Willow returning, Spike returning, the world ending you know that kind of thing," Giles said quickly, hoping that Dawn was tired enough of the conversation to miss the last few guess, but as the beads of sweat began to run into his eyes his hopes were dashed.  
  
"I hope Spike never.uh.wait isn't Willow supposed to be in England with you and the coven, helping her get her powers back under control so she doesn't go all wiggy and try and kill us all again," Dawn said with a hint of anger in her voice. "Yes well that was the plan.but you see.," was all Giles could get out before the line went dead.  
  
"Huh," Dawn said as she turned and looked back at the rest of the phone only to see a very angry Buffy glaring at her.  
  
"You can talk to whichever of your little friends that was later, right now we need to talk," Buffy said angrily as she walked into the living room.  
  
"But that wasn't...it was Giles," Dawn said as she hung up the phone and solemnly trudged into the living room, prepared for a rather stern lecture.  
  
"Giles.what'd he want," Buffy said looking at Dawn with a confused but hopeful look on her face.  
  
"Well um.uh.," Dawn said trying to determine exactly how to say what was on the tip of her tongue.  
  
"Well spit it out Dawn, what did he want," Buffy said angrily as she stomped her foot and began pacing. Dawn's next words stopped her dead in her tracks.  
  
"Willow skipped out of the coven and left England and they have no idea where she is or what she's doing.and don't ask me how I know I just do.and one more thing.it seemed to scare Giles very much that he didn't know where she was," Dawn said with a thoughtful look on her face before she smiled and then bounded up the stairs, leaving a gasping slayer alone in the living room.  
  
END OF CHAPTER 4 


	5. Chapter 5

OF THINGS TO COME  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the new ones that I created.  
  
CHAPTER 5  
  
The day had gone pretty much as planned for the unlikely quartet that now found them sitting in a gazebo in the middle of the local park, with Spike trying to keep himself entertained by catching flies and then pulling their wings off. After looking around to see that no one was looking their way or was even in the park Faith sat down next to her husband and looped her arm around his before staring over at Willow and asking the question that was on everyone's mind. They had used the meal to catch each other up on what they had been doing the past while. "Okay Willow no more stalling, what's the big danger that caused you to bring us here," Faith said angrily looking over at the witch who sat opposite her. Willow shuffled her feet and stared at the floor before answering.  
  
"Hey Spike you know I told you about that temple that I tried to raise when I went all wiggy after Tara's.," Willow said unable to finish the sentence as a tear slid down her cheek before falling to the floor of the gazebo and landing on a small insect that was scurrying across the floor.  
  
"You mean that one on the hill that the whelp.I mean Xander stopped you from completely raising," Spike said uncomfortably as he sat back to get out of the glare of the sun.  
  
"Yes that's the one.well when I was in England I overheard the Watcher's council," Willow started off and Wesley's ears perked up at the mention of the council but he didn't interrupt and Willow continued, "they were having an important meeting about some really dangerous threat to the world."  
  
"So the old fucks were scared about something, so what else is new," Faith said rolling her eyes and pulling her arm back from around Wesley's before she crossed her arms and glared at Willow.  
  
"Well you see the threat I was talking about wants to bring about the end of the world.and they want to do it by.," Willow said unable to finish the sentence before she had to turn away with a look of shame on her face. "Let me guess they want to do it by finishing what you started.correct," Wesley said cleaning his glasses with a handkerchief that he had just taken from his jeans pocket. Willow tried but could not answer the former Watcher so she just sadly nodded her head.  
  
"Great.this is just bloody wonderful.I get my humanity back so that I can have a chance with.and some fucking baddie wants to end it all," Spike said angrily as he jumped up and walked silently to the bottom step of the gazebo.  
  
"So who's the big bad this time," Faith asked lazily, half expecting Willow to launch into one of her long winded explanations about whom they would be facing, but to her surprise the witch simply shook her head.  
  
"They didn't know, but whoever it was is gathering an army of demons and vampires," Willow said sadly as she wiped away a tear and looked over at Spike, who was now standing next to her.  
  
"Ah.that's where we come in.right," Faith said with a slight smirk as she turned and looked at Wesley, who sat silently, pondering what had been said. Again Willow nodded and the quartet was plunged into silence as they all tried to make sense of Willow's words in their minds.  
  
* * * * * * *  
  
At first Buffy had not known exactly how to respond to what Dawn had told her. Willow missing and the Watchers council being very concerned about it, while the council being concerned about something wasn't new it did bother her that they were concerned about Willow. "She went there to get help.they said she'd be safe," Buffy thought out loud as Dawn came into the living room with a thoughtful look on her face. Forgetting her own fears for a moment Buffy studied her sister. After Spike and Willow had left Dawn had become moody for a time that Buffy thought would last forever, but thankfully it had ended quickly, and just about the time that Dawn had met Billy. "What's up.you're all bad and moody," Buffy asked trying to keep her voice calm and avoid starting a fight, but seconds later she remembered who she had also posed that question to and her face soon matched that of her solemn little sister.  
  
"You think Willow's gonna.gonna," Dawn stammered out as she sat down on the couch next to Buffy.  
  
"Gonna what.lose control again and try to kill us all.no I don't think she will.I hope she doesn't," Buffy said having to speak truthfully on the last part. In truth she had no idea if Willow would ever be the same again, her mind returning to what Angel had told her years earlier about when you kill a human being you get a taste for it. Buffy shivered at the thought of her best friend have a taste for killing people.  
  
"I don't know.I hope not to.," Dawn started to say before being interrupted by the doorbell as she finished with; "I'll get it." And with that she leapt up off of the couch and walked to the door.  
  
"I wonder who it is, Xander and Anya are going to a movie," Buffy said as she stood up and followed Dawn to the door, which opened just as Buffy to it. When the door opened she saw the last person she ever expected to see that day.  
  
"Hi Buffy," Cordelia said as she walked by a pair of stunned Summers women into the living room, followed closely behind by a sheepish African- American man who simply nodded his head with a smile as he went and a rather bookish woman followed him. But what stole the show was the figure that went rushing past them, covered by a blanket being consumed by flames, being pushed by a young man of about Dawn's age.  
  
"A-Angel," Buffy stammered out as Dawn closed the door and then followed Buffy into the living room.  
  
"Sorry for the intrusion.wasn't that couch over there.," Cordelia said as she sat down on the couch and looked around the room. Buffy rolled her eyes and smiled.same old Cordelia.  
  
"Wha-what are you doing here and.," Buffy said still a bit shell shocked at the sudden guests arrival. She had been getting ready for a quiet night at home with Dawn, but now that was obviously not going to be able to happen.  
  
"Sorry we didn't call ahead first Buff, but Lorne sounded so urgent on the phone that I thought it best we come right over here," Angel said sheepishly shrugging his shoulders as Dawn and Conner locked eyes with them both grinning sheepishly before they quickly looked away.  
  
"Ya for such a suave demon he sure can get the heebie jeebies easily," Gunn said with a slight laugh which was echoed by soft giggling from Fred. "Okay.whoa...time out, what are you.who are you," Buffy said suddenly thoroughly confused as to who all the new people were. Angel stared at the floor for a second before motioning to Cordelia that he'd handle the introductions.  
  
"Easy Buff.okay first off you already know me and Cordy, then there's Gunn and Fred, and this is Conner.he's.he's.my," Angel said searching back through his two hundred plus years of memories for a way to tell a woman that he once loved with all of his un-beating heart that he'd had a son and hadn't told her earlier, not to mention that his son was now somehow a teenager. Seeing his father's discomfort Conner stepped up and shook Buffy's hand with a smile, just as Cordelia had taught him during one of what Conner thought were useless manners classes.  
  
"Son.my name's Conner," Conner said politely with a look back at Angel, who just grinned meekly as he winced and prepared for what he thought would either be Buffy's fist colliding with his stomach followed by her knee smashing his nose or her fainting dead away. But much to his surprise she simply smiled and placed her hand on Conner's shoulder.  
  
"Well then.Conner, welcome to the famous Buffy Summers' house," Buffy said still smiling as she lightly elbowed Dawn, who took the not so subtle hint and spoke up.  
  
"So you're the famous, or should I say infamous, Angel.I'm Dawn.Buffy's little sister if anyone was wondering," Dawn said meekly, feeling all the eyes in the room focused completely on her.  
  
"That'd be me.we're here because a whole hell of a lot of trouble is headed this way.and soon," Angel said becoming very serious at the end. He looked around the room before finding a place that he could sit down without being in sunlight and quickly collapsed into the chair.  
  
"I thought as much, is this connected with what happened in Missouri yesterday," Buffy said sighing as she collapsed down onto the couch beside an obviously worried, and confused, Cordelia.  
  
"If you mean that bus incident with all the blood then ya," Gunn said grimly as Fred smiled meekly, seemingly trying to make a mental image of the room for future reference.  
  
"Um...all the blood.gross.though I bet Spike would like it," Dawn said first with a sickly expression before changing to one of general smugness. Dawn took note that at the mention of Spike's name Buffy's face brightened quite a bit before it darkened into one of embarrassment. She glanced quickly around the room and noticed that no one else had seen the change and was glad.  
  
"He's still around then.I think I'll pay him a visit after sunset, if this trouble is as bad as Lorne made it seem then we'll need his help..and Willow's if she's still around," Angel said with a sigh as he nervously ran a hand through his hair before he noticed Cordelia glaring at him. "What," he said looking back at her before he followed her eyes and noticed the look of fear and sadness on Buffy and Dawn's faces.  
  
"Willow.Spike.they're both.not here," Buffy said sadly, struggling mightily to find the right words to explain their absence without causing herself or Dawn to tear up. Angel looked questioningly from Buffy to Dawn and back again, desperately searching for some sort of explanation. He took heart in seeing that Cordelia was in the same predicament. He was about to say something to try and apologize to Buffy but she spoke up nervously first. "Willow's in England with Giles, after Tara died she.she.and Spike.well Spike he.," Buffy started to say before her words became interspersed with sobs as the tears began to flow even though she tried to hold them back. All Angel could do is stare blankly as Buffy excused herself and quickly headed up stairs, followed closely behind by Dawn and Cordelia.  
  
"Well that went well," Gunn said sarcastically before he noticed Fred staring at him angrily as she said, "Charles."  
  
"You sure she's the slayer," Conner said hesitantly as he turned to Angel, who could only sigh and shake his head as his mind reeled.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
That day in Missouri the sun set earlier than expected and for that Faith was glad as she had nearly driven herself, and the others, completely insane with her almost constant fidgeting. Shortly before lunch Faith had started getting bored and Wesley diagnosed her problem, she was ready to stake some vampires but since the sun was up and would be for hours she'd have to wait, and the wait soon began to drive her crazy. Trying to help Willow had persuaded the quartet to take in a movie, thinking it'd solve their two major problems, it'd take a few hours away from the day and maybe just maybe Faith would lose herself in the movie and momentarily forget about her lust to fight vampires. In the end however things didn't go as Willow had planned. Because as they were walking towards their movie, after buying tickets, Faith noticed that the door to the balcony was open and before he could object dragged Wesley through the doorway by his collar with an extremely excited look on her face. Spike had started to say something when one of the ushers had come along and rudely pointed out that their movie was three doors down, but that was after the usher had cursed angrily that the door to the balcony was still open and before Willow could object the usher had shut the door and locked it.  
  
Sensing Faith's intentions Spike smirked merrily as he took Willow by the arm and walked with her to their movie and found a couple of seats that were a good distance away from the balcony. "What are you doing we have to go back and get Wesley and Faith out of the balcony, they can't watch the movie from there," Willow had said insistently as she glared at a grinning Spike. "And what's so funny," she continued as she placed her hands on her hips and glared at Spike, who continued to grin merrily and laugh slightly.  
  
"Nothing Red, it's just that I don't think watching the movie is what our resident slayer had in mind.if you catch my drift," Spike said laughingly as he sat down in his seat and pulled Willow down into hers. He waited a few moments for his words to sink in and work through her mind before he smiled as he saw her eyes grow wide and she gasped. She started to say something but Spike put a hand over her mouth and motioned for her to be quiet as their eyes locked and he knew that she had come to the same conclusion that he had as to Faith's motives for her actions. The only problem with their particular arrangement came about halfway through the movie when out of the corner of his eye Spike caught sight of something dark come falling through the air from the balcony and land on an old woman's head. Spike knew what it was even before he heard the old woman's startled cry.  
  
"What's her problem," Willow asked glaring angrily as she saw the old woman throw something to the floor in sheer panic and disgust. Willow strained to see for a few seconds before she turned and saw Spike silently laughing so hard that tears were coming to his eyes. "What are you laughing about," she growled angrily under her breath.  
  
"Don't be mad at the old broad Red, after all it's not every day a black lacey bra falls out of the sky and lands on your head during the middle of a movie," Spike said grinning merrily before he saw Willow blush and snicker before the two of them broke into a loud fit of laughter. So loud in fact that the patrons around them began angry and hinted that they wanted the pair to leave, so rather than cause any more of a scene Spike and Willow slowly made their way out of the theater, laughing all the way. As they got outside Willow sat down on a nearby bench and looked up at Spike.  
  
"Oh man that was fun.," she said trying to stop laughing as Spike sat down next to her. After a short time they were able to stop laughing, with Spike only stopping after Willow threatened to turn him back into a vampire so that the last few rays of sunlight would burn him to a crisp. Although he knew that she couldn't do it Spike obliged and stifled his laughter. "Uh Spike could you stay here and wait for them, I'm going to.look and see if I can find a magic store for supplies, and when they get.done you guys should just head back to the hotel and pack, now don't worry about me.I'll be fine," Willow said meekly as she stood up and looked both ways before crossing the street as Spike could only sit and utter, "Sure Red," as he watched her go.  
  
An hour or so later Wesley and Faith finally exited the theater to find Spike lounging on the same bench that he had been sitting on when Willow left. Faith was the first to speak up. "Hey dogbreath, where's Willow, and don't pull anything cause I somehow misplaced my favorite bra," Faith said angrily as Spike did all he could to keep from laughing.  
  
"She's around, said she wanted to look for some -special supplies- and that we should all go back to the hotel and wait for her there, but as for your bra.well you'll have to ask the old maid in the muumuu if you want it back," Spike said as he stood up and started walking back towards the hotel. He only got a few steps before a blinding pain in his temples forced him to the ground. "Not here.not now," he blurted out before Wesley and Faith realized what was happening and Faith grabbed him under one arm and Wesley the other as they used all their strength to haul him back to the hotel before the full effects of his latest memory hit him. They had just gotten him back to the door to his and Willow's room when all hell broke loose as memories of the second slayer that he killed erupted into his mind as more blood began pouring out of his mouth. It took all their remaining strength for Wesley and Faith to wait his attack out and then get him cleaned up before they put him to bed and packed up their own things after doing the same for Willow and Spike, as they knew that Spike was in no condition to do much of anything.  
  
It was just before midnight when Spike was woken form his slumber by a panicked Willow shaking him. "Come on Spike get up.time to go," Willow said giving him one last shake before grabbing the few bags that they had and headed outside. Spike had only managed to sit up when she came back into the room. "Come on we gotta hurry," she said angrily as she grabbed him by the arm and dragged him out of bed before Wesley and Faith entered the room and helped him outside. What awaited them outside was a brand new convertible, still proudly wearing its stickers.  
  
"Wha.where'd you," Spike said weakly as Willow threw their bags in the back seat and Wesley slid Spike into the passenger seat and buckled his seat belt for him before he followed Faith as they ran back to their vehicle. Before he could ask her anything Willow jumped in beside him and started the engine. "What's the big.," Spike started to say before he saw Faith and Wesley go flying out of the parking lot in their SUV. Willow quickly shifted the car into drive and tore off after them. "Why are we.," Spike said glaring at Willow before he heard the sirens. "What the hell.what did you do Red.you stole this car didn't you," he yelled angrily as she turned to him and smiled.  
  
"I said I needed to get some magic supplies, so what if I just added a few extras," Willow said smiling back at Spike.  
  
"Great.now not only is there an evil army waiting for us in Sunnydale but we're going to get there in a stolen car.perfect," Spike said shaking his head as the quartet tore off into the night, followed a great distance behind by the local sheriff.  
  
END OF CHAPTER 5 


	6. Chapter 6

OF THINGS TO COME  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the new ones that I created.  
  
Chapter 6  
  
That night Angel and Buffy stayed up long into the night, discussing everything that had happened since Willow had brought her back to life that night in the graveyard. Buffy paid as much attention, when Angel spoke about how Conner came into being and then where Wesley was, as Angel did when she talked about her relationship with Spike and its aftermath coupled with the effects of Willow's rampage. "So that's why Wesley wasn't with you, I was wondering where he was but I didn't want to intrude.so he was going to give Connor to Holtz," Buffy said thoroughly confused but trying to tread lightly as talking about it seemed to put Angel on edge.  
  
"I thought that at first but then when I finally got Justine to talk she admitted that she and Holtz had changed their agreement with Wesley after the fact, Wes was never going to give them Connor.," Angel said letting his voice trail off as Buffy saw that the revelation of what had really happened still made Angel made. He was still furious at Wesley but his hunger for Wesley's death had passed and thoughts of forgiving him, after all Cordelia had reminded him he did have Connor back.and no more messy diapers to change to boot. He had been about to go and see the former Watcher to talk about it when Lorne had called with his -forecast of doom-.  
  
  
  
"So do you know where he is, if this trouble coming is as bad as your friend says it is then we could use his help.along with Spike's," Buff said sadly as she almost whispered the last part hoping Angel wouldn't hear.  
  
"No clue, Gunn and Fred went over to his place but he had cleared out days earlier, and here's a shocker there had been someone else living with him.a woman, but all of the women's clothes that they found had bloodstains and demon guts all over them.I'm not surprised they were left behind," Angel said trying to change the subject after hearing Buffy whisper Spike's name. From the tone of her voice he could tell that the longing in her voice meant for than just her wish to have a valuable ally back, but Angel wasn't ready to think of the alternative.not yet.he had to know more first. And to do that he had to check out a few things, see what had changed and what was still the same. "Spike's crypt still there," he said getting through Spike's name as fast as possible.  
  
"Ya Clem's there now Spike wanted him to watch it for him and keep the squatters away while he was gone, he'd probably be able to give you a few answers that I couldn't, you want to go there now.there's still a couple of hours of darkness left and if all else fails you can stay there," Buffy said forcing out a smile that Angel could see was all for show so he agreed readily. Mere minutes later they were trudging through the cemetery.his cemetery, just being this close to his lair brought waves of memories flooding back into Buffy's mind. There was the time she had gone to him to get information and he'd sung a song that told her what in truth her heart already knew but her mind hadn't figured out yet.that he was truly head over heels in love with her, then came the many fights they'd had.verbal and otherwise.next came the time she had gone to him pretending to be the Buffybot that Warren had made for him to see if he had sold them out to Glory and had ended up kissing him.a kiss that she dreaded to admit she liked, and finally.or so she thought came wave after wave of memories of him humping her brains out. As those last memories came to her Buffy was forced to look away as she couldn't bring herself to look Angel in the eye as then he would know exactly what she was thinking, and she was in the mood to keep her private thoughts to herself.  
  
But as she started to take a step one final memory came to her, but it was not one of hers, after a moment or two to let the disorientation pass she realized what the memory was. Somehow she was getting one of Spike's memories, she thought possibly because she was close to his crypt and was just getting a type of psychic backwash or because the memory was so strong that maybe she was supposed to see it. She quickly discovered that the memory was of the night that Spike had left town.the night that he had tried to rape her. That last thought brought a tear to her eye and had Angel not been looking in the opposite direction at that moment he would have known that something was amiss. Through the dream she saw that Spike had gone back to his crypt after he had left her house. He seemed to be every bit as shaken up about what had just happened as she had been, possibly even more so. She saw that Clem had been there that night and been horribly frightened and confused by what he saw. It was almost as if Spike's two sides, what was left of his human side and the demon within him, had been waging an all out war right at that moment, vying for control. But the dream ended there and all Buffy was left with was a strong feeling that even without a soul what he had just attempted to do sickened and horrified Spike to no end. They entered the crypt to find a motionless Clem sprawled out on the couch and blood everywhere.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
"Hey Red you found that map yet, the exit ramp's coming up pretty soon," Spike said angrily as he looked over at Willow who was fumbling with a map. They had finally lost the sheriff that had been following them after Willow had instructed Spike as he cast an invisibility spell, one that in the end did the trick as the sheriff had slowly drifted out of sight. Moments earlier Willow had rejoiced as the quartet crossed the Kansas/Colorado state line. Now she was trying to decide whether to go through Utah or Nevada.  
  
"Hold yer horses," Willow said as she glared back at Spike, who had picked up a pair of black sunglasses at a gas station a few hours earlier, and had set them on the dash directly in front of him.  
  
"Never thought that expression worked to well after people stopped riding horses but who am I to judge," Spike thought with a sigh as he shook his head and strained to see through the glare of all of the street lights and other cars. "So which exit do I take.I need to know," Spike said glancing quickly back and forth between the witch and the road.  
  
"How about you take the road over there," a voice said from the back seat that made both Willow and Spike nearly leap out of the car in surprise.  
  
"Anya...what the hell are you.how did you," Spike shouted as he tried to keep from crashing into anything as the vengeance demon just smile gleefully in the back seat.  
  
"It's nice to see you to Spike.and human to I see," Anya said with a smile before she noticed the completely flustered look on Willow's face.  
  
"Wha-what.h-how..," was all Willow could babble out as her mind tried to deduce how and why Anya had suddenly appeared in the back seat.  
  
"I don't the specifics but it's all part and parcel of being a vengeance demon again, I can appear wherever I'm supposed to be.so I guess I'm supposed to be here right now.where is here anyway," Anya said looking around with a blank expression on her face.  
  
"Who knows and who fucking cares, we're on our way to Sunnydale," Spike growled angrily as he felt Anya eyeing him with one of her completely innocent smiles on her face. A smile that Spike had learned during his time as a vampire that all vengeance demons never told anyone the whole story, and now Spike was getting a funny feeling that Anya was hiding something, and Spike wanted to know what it was.  
  
"Potty mouth, potty mouth," Anya chirped in from the back seat, obviously very happy to just be sitting in the car. "I've never ridden in a stolen care before, aren't we supposed to wearing all black and looking very suspicious, that's how car thieves are supposed to look right," Anya said quickly as she ended up getting herself thoroughly confused.  
  
"Ixnay on the stolen car talk, look none of us were wronged so could you please stop fucking with us and tell us why you're here, or do we have to listen to more damn rambling," Spike yelled angrily as he followed Wesley and Faith as they pulled off the highway.  
  
"Okay.I'll tell you, I'm here to give you a message," Anya said looking upset as she crossed her arm and looked away.  
  
"So tell us already," Willow said, herself starting to get angry at the vengeance demon.  
  
"Nope.won't do it.Spike was mean to me," Anya said defiantly shaking her head before a glare from Willow stopped her. "Everybody's waiting for you guys back home.well they don't know they're waiting for you.they don't even know you're coming.oh I can't wait to see the looks on their faces when you guys show up," Anya said trying to speak as fast as her mind was working.  
  
"I'll bet they're waiting for us, other than Red over here they'd just as soon kill the rest of us, Peaches would stake me in seconds before he'd ring ole Wes's neck and then Faith would go postal on him," Spike said laughing sarcastically as he followed Wesley's SUV into the parking lot of a nearby gas station. Anya was still sitting in the back seat of the convertible when Wesley and Faith approached after hopping out of their SUV. Faith was the first to speak, of course in her usual courteous manner.  
  
"Alright, who the fuck is this," Faith said impatiently eyeing a gleefully smiling Anya. As she had done most of the driving since leaving Missouri Faith looked like she was in need of a good night's sleep. But even a tired slayer, coupled with the discovery of a complete stranger, was dangerous.  
  
"This is Anya.she and Xander almost got married awhile back," Willow said slowly getting out of the car and gingerly stepping in between Faith and Anya, hoping that Faith would not decide that Anya was a threat and charge the car.  
  
"Ya but the damn poof left her at the alter, stupid git," Spike said yawning as he began to feel effects of sleep depravity. Sensing the tense situation Wesley leaned over and wrapped his arms around Faith's slim waist, pulling her close despite the angry look on her face.  
  
"Hi I was a vengeance demon for a long time but then I became human.that is until Xander and the wedding, but now I'm a demon again.don't worry I'm harmless.mostly," Anya said standing up in the back seat and extending her hand as if she expected someone to shake her hand.  
  
Wesley rolled his eyes and locked his arms in place as he felt Faith try to pull away. "Let go of me Wes.," Faith said angrily until Wesley kissed the back of her ear causing the sneer that was on her face to disappear only to be replaced by an embarrassed smirk.  
  
"My she's a feisty one ain't she," Anya said starting to get out of the car before almost falling and having to be helped out of the car by Willow, who had stood silent the whole time unsure of exactly what to say.  
  
"What the fuck does that mean.let go of.," Faith started to say before she was silent as Wesley slipped his right index finger between her skin and her low rider jeans. Usually once Faith got started on any subject it was almost impossible to shut her up short of killing her. But Wesley had discovered that there was a quicker and often less painful way. He had found that the best way to ease her anger was to replace it with something she liked even more, lust.  
  
"Moving on.do they know about.Spike.being human and those two," Willow asked as she nodded over her shoulder after she turned away from the newlyweds with her face a bright red. Spike meanwhile just stopped and stared, obviously enjoying the show, at least until Anya punched him in the shoulder as hard as she could.  
  
"Ow.hey what the hell was that for," Spike said glaring at Anya and at Willow, who were both glaring right back at him.  
  
"You four just need to get home quickly, you're needed," Anya said sadly before disappearing right in front of an astonished Spike and Willow.  
  
"Come on we need to get something to eat," Wesley said as he kissed Faith's neck before he started searching through his pockets.  
  
"Hey.where'd she go.and I told you not to do that in public," Faith said with mock anger in her voice as she lightly punched Wesley in the shoulder, but with her slayer super-strength added into the equation she almost knocked Wesley off of his feet and she had to move quickly to keep him standing upright. "Sorry.guess I don't know my own strength," Faith said blushing slightly before she turned to see Spike and Willow both smirking and giving her a knowing wink. In a huff she grabbed Wesley by the arm and pulled him towards the gas station.  
  
"Never thought I'd see that one blush.," Spike said shaking his head and smiling, still amazed that he had actually seen Faith, the slayer who only possessed two emotions anger and lust, blush. "I got to remember this," Spike thought smugly as he took the gas cap off and began filling the gas tank up.  
  
"Wonder how long those two can keep their secret," Willow said as she leaned on the side of the car and crossed her arms as she watched Wesley and Faith walk around the store before continuing. "I mean when we're in public she acts like she doesn't know him at all, but when they get alone or we're the only ones around." she said letting her voice trailed off as she gave Spike a knowing smile.  
  
"Ya I know what you mean, they'll tell everyone when the time comes, and hey this is all so new to Faith, she's probably to scared to show her true feelings in fear that something will come along and destroy what she has with Wesley.after all she's lost so much already.her original Watcher and probably some friends to, can't say as I blame her.can you," Spike said as he finished filling up the gas tank and placed the nozzle back on the pump before screwing the gas cap back into position. "Should we get weapons before we go back, I mean we're going to show up with tales of doom, death, and destruction," he said scratching his chin nervously before he added, "better buy a razor here.wonder if they have any of those electrical ones," Spike said with a shrug before he headed off towards the gas station.  
  
"Hey wait for me.I just hope we're not too late," Willow said calling after Spike as she ran after him and caught up to him just as he opened the door and ushered her in to pay for the gas.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
"Clem.," Buffy shrieked as she rushed to the floppy eared demon's side. Angel started to run after her but stopped when he noticed that something didn't smell right. He knew well the smell of demon blood and here he could only smell a small amount. But if that were true then what was all over the walls.human blood. Angel shook his head and sighed as he quickly determined that it wasn't human blood either. "Clem.wake up.can you hear me," Buffy yelled as she started violently shaking the unmoving demon. Suddenly Clem's eyes flew open and he started shrieking at the top of his lungs as he frantically tried to back away from Buffy, but he ended up falling off the back of the sofa and banging his head on the cold stone below.  
  
"What is this stuff," Angel said running a finger through one of the blobs of red goo that covered the walls and floor before he stuck the finger in his mouth. Just as Buffy turned to yell at him to help her Angel pulled the finger out of his mouth and smiled widely.  
  
"What are you smiling about get over here and help me with Clem, we have to.," Buffy said angrily as she climbed over the couch and crouched down near Clem as the demon struggled to sit up.  
  
"Buff.it's not blood.it's.he.tomato soup," Angel said with a laugh as he slowly made his way over to the couch and glanced down at the small table that had been directly in front of the couch, but now all that was left was a smoldering pile of wood splinters.  
  
"Ahh.don't kill me it was an accident.just wanted some soup.big explosion and all the pain," Clem moaned sadly as Buffy helped him to his feet with a joking smile on her face.  
  
"What were you doing Clem, making a bomb or something," Buffy said thoroughly confused as she stared back and forth at Clem and Angel. The floppy eared demon thought for a moment before answering as he shrugged his shoulders sadly.  
  
"Like I said I wanted some soup.so I put the can in the microwave with a few other things.thought it'd cook faster.then I heard a noise and went to investigate.and when I got back I realized my mistake and when I went to open the door.BOOM!...it was to late," Clem said as he plopped down onto the couch and held his head in his hands.  
  
"I'll say," Angel said with a small laugh as he again glanced around the crypt.  
  
"Clem.this is a good friend of mine.and Spike's.his name's Angel and he wants to ask you a few questions.okay," Buffy said sitting beside Clem and patting him on the back as she looked up at Angel who stood unmoving nearby.  
  
"Hmm another vampire.this one with a soul.well if you're a friend of Buffy's and Spike's then you're a friend of mine.ask away," Clem said brightening up at the thought of doing anything but dwelling on his mistake, one that he was sure Spike would probably kill him for.  
  
"Good.then my first question is.where's Spike," Angel said as he purposefully avoided the pained and sad look that Buffy shot him.  
  
END OF CHAPTER 6 


	7. Chapter 7

OF THINGS TO COME  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the new ones that I created.  
  
Chapter 7  
  
After grilling Clem for answers for awhile Angel was beginning to lose patience with the floppy eared demon and he probably would have killed him had not Buffy been there. "You still haven't told me anything that I can use.and if the sun wasn't coming up soon I'd.," Angel said angrily before he stormed out of the crypt with his game face momentarily showing itself.  
  
"Did I do something wrong," Clem said fearfully as he clutched a bag of Cheetos tightly.  
  
"No you didn't do anything wrong.other than the whole yucky tomato soup debacle you did just fine.he's just all dark and moody for some reason right now," Buffy said with a smile as she patted Clem on the shoulder before she waved goodbye and exited the crypt intent on catching up to Angel before he got to far. She found him at the cemetery's entrance, nervously pacing around. "What is your problem; you nearly scared him to death," Buffy said as she got in front of Angel so he had to stop pacing and face her.  
  
"He knows something that he isn't telling us, we don't have much time.Lorne said that the shit would hit the fan sometime this week and we're running out of time.quickly," Angel said angrily as he shook his head and started to walk off but Buffy grabbed his arm and pulled him back.  
  
"Leave Clem alone.this isn't about him is it.this is about Spike.you're jealous aren't you," Buffy said now with anger flaring in her eyes before she dug her fingernails into his arm and continued, "jealous that it was Spike that I was with and not you.well move on I did.maybe I should tell Cordelia," she finished with a squeeze of Angel's arm that sank her fingernails in deeper and drew blood. Before he could act Buffy stalked off into the night as she said over her shoulder to the wounded vamp, "Sun's coming up.you might want to find some shelter."  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
Wesley finally got Spike and the others to agree to stop for the night after he had noticed the convertible starting to weave all over the road in his rearview mirror. And for the first time in what seemed like years Faith was too tired to do much of anything other than mumble angrily about vampires before sleep consumed her. Willow and Spike were asleep the second their heads hit their pillows. Wesley however didn't feel like sleeping just yet so he took one of the ancient books that he had been translating out of his bag and pulled up a chair next to the bed. He propped open the book and laid it flat on his legs as he cautiously put his feet up on the bed near Faith's feet. For a few moments he let his gaze come to rest on the woman that had come to mean more to his life than his own. And now she looked so small all curled up in the covers.so serene and, Wesley thought, for probably the first time in her entire life.happy. With a loving smile he softly brushed some hair out of her face and caressed her cheek. During his time with Faith she had rarely gone to sleep before him, usually he'd fall asleep first and often wake up in the middle of the night and find her gone, off to exercise her need to rid the world of vampires and the like. The first time he had awoken and found her gone he had thought that she'd left or gone clubbing, trying to hook up with anybody she could, and so he had stubbornly decided to follow her.  
  
After many times of following her he had discovered that she did indeed go to clubs but to his relief she would only dance a little before leaving. Once a guy had come on to her and she had let it get a little farther than Wesley would have liked but just before Wesley was about to do something about it he saw Faith clear her throat and tell the guy that she was with someone. When the guy didn't take the hint Faith had ended up almost killing the man.and his friends as they had rushed to their buddy's defense. Wesley had to admit that he loved to see Faith in action; he didn't know exactly what it was but that fact had been a big part of him agreeing to train her again in the first place. The scene in the bar that night began repeating itself until he noticed that Faith started stopping the guy sooner and sooner, at first doing all the dirty dancing that the guy could take before stopping just before he tried to kiss her. Until finally she would go to the clubs and only have a drink before mingling for a short time and then leave.  
  
Wesley had finally stopped following her when one night she had surprised him outside of one of the clubs by sneaking up on him, he remembered she had been furious at first but then her demeanor softened and the night had ended with the two of them reentering the club and dancing till dawn, before racing through the rain back to their apartment and only made it just inside the front door before passion consumed them. Wesley remembered that night fondly and only recently he had discovered that Faith did as well. And as such they had spent the last few nights before Wesley received Willow's frantic call doing just that.  
  
Suddenly a noise outside the room caught his attention and as he slid his legs off of the bed the book he was reading fell to the floor with a loud crash. It was then he noticed the several shadows that began passing by their window. Wesley flinched as he looked down at Faith to see her slowly stirring before she mumbled, "Put your book away and come to bed honey.." With a sigh of relief Wesley slowly crept towards the door before crouching down and cautiously moving a small bit of the curtain aside before peering out. What he saw made his blood run cold in his veins for outside there seemed to be a horde of vampires.he counted about fifteen before he was interrupted by a yawn from behind him. "Hey Wes whatcha doing over.," Faith started to say before her jaw snapped shut and she rolled out of bed and began searching through one of Wesley's bags. "Didn't you bring any stakes in with.ah here's one," she said with an excited smile as she pulled a newly carved stake from the bag and hurried over to Wesley's side, her breath warm against the nape of his neck.  
  
"We have a problem," Wesley said grimly as he slowly took back a piece of the curtain and let Faith look out. He heard her curse under her breath before she turned to him and said, "Ah well I could use the practice," with a sly smile on her face before she leaned over and planted a long kiss on him. When she pulled away Wesley grabbed the back of her head and pulled her back into an equally long kiss before he broke away and whispered softly, "You're not doing this alone I'm going with you.just let me get something to fight with," as his eyes scanned the room before settling on a nearby broom. "It's not as good as an axe but it'll.Faith," Wesley said as he quickly crawled over to the broom before looking back. Faith was nowhere to be seen, but any question he had as to her whereabouts ended when he noticed the open door. "Fuck," he said angrily as he grabbed the broom and ran out of the room after his wife.  
  
He found her grappling with two rather large vampires. "Unhand her," Wesley yelled as he brought the broom down on the back of the nearest vampire's neck, which did little more than piss the vampire off and break the broom almost in half. With a loud growl the vampire turned its attention to Wesley and spread its arms out wide and charged him, making its first and last mistake of the night as Wesley crouched down and steadied himself before he drove the handle of the broom straight into the beast's chest, turning it instantly into dust.  
  
Faith meanwhile had used the interruption to her advantage. As the vampire left her and lunged after Wesley she dropped to the ground and drove her foot into its crotch. The vampire dropped to its knees howling in pain before being silenced as Faith slid the stake in between its ribs and straight through its un-beating heart, turning it to dust. Standing up Faith turned to see Wesley use what was left of the broom handle to block the axe of a particularly foul smelling vampire. To her horror she saw a second vampire advance on Wesley from his blind side. Howling in rage she leapt onto the vampires back and tried to stake it but she missed and the vampire was able to knock the stake from her hand. "Fuck," Faith as the vampire used all its strength and flipped her over its shoulder. She landed hard on the ground, with the impact driving the breath from her lungs.  
  
With a sinister gleam in its eye the vampire reared back to pound her into the ground suddenly cried out in pain as the handle of a broom exploded through it's back and speared its heart turning it to dust that fell down onto the gasping slayer. For a moment it looked like slayer and watcher would have to face this menace alone but a smile crept upon Wesley's face as he saw the door to Spike and Willow's room be ripped open before the ex- vampire came charging out wielding two vials of holy water in his left hand and a finely carved stake in his right.  
  
Willow had awoken to the sounds of the fight only moments earlier and after waking Spike had rifled through her bag of supplies that she had gotten after the movie before pulling out the holy water and the stake. After tossing the three items to Spike Willow had pulled another stake out of the bag and followed him to the door. At the sight of Spike two vampires howled in rage and charged headlong at him only to erupt in flames as Spike, with a flick of his wrist, sent the two vials crashing into their foreheads as he said with that cocky smile of his, "Sucks to be you."  
  
With renewed vigor Wesley reached out his hand and hauled Faith to her feet before a shower of dust descended on him as he turned to see Willow merrily grinning from ear to ear with a stake in her hand. Faith gripped her stake tightly as she ducked under a punch from a rather fat vampire before she jammed the stake into its chest, but the vampire didn't turn to dust, the stake protruding out of its chest simply seemed to further infuriate the creature, must to Faith's amazement. "What.fuck.this bastard's to damn fat," Faith yelled squirming as the vampire applied a bear hug that started slowly squeezing the life out of her.  
  
"Take a bath," an angry voice said from behind Faith before a small vial of holy water flew through the air and struck the vampire right between the eyes.  
  
"T-thanks," Faith said desperately trying to catch her breath after the vampire had finally released its grip on her as the holy water consumed it. She had only been able to gulp down a couple of breaths before a robed demon walked out from behind to vampires and its eyes glowed red like fire as it glared down at Faith.  
  
"Now you will die human bitch," the demon growled as a bright yellow swirling mist began to form around its clenched fists as it began chanting.  
  
Without thinking Wesley tore off towards Faith and launched himself in front of her just as the demon ended its chanting and thrust its fist towards Faith. A blinding stream of energy erupted out of the demons hand and struck Wesley in the chest, subsequently forcing him back into Faith as both were driven into the air before their momentum, and the remnants of the spell, sent them through the same window that they had originally viewed the threat out of. They went down hard as Faith tried to slow them down by reaching for something but she only ended up bringing the curtains down on top of them as they hit the floor and cried out in pain as they felt slivers of glass tear into them.  
  
After witnessing the demons attack Spike went into a frenzy, relentlessly attacking anything that came anywhere close to him as he advanced towards the demon, dispatching several vampires as he went. Seizing the moment Willow ran over to the window and cautiously peered inside. "Wesley.Faith.," Willow said as she saw Wesley painfully roll over onto his side before he reached up and used the windowsill to pull himself up. With a sickly look on her face Faith slowly pulled a sliver of glass out of her shoulder before she shakily stood up.  
  
"Now.kill them all," the robed demon shouted before a trio of young vampires swarmed towards Willow.  
  
"Not gonna happen," Spike growled angrily as he leapt into the air and came crashing down onto the trio of vampires, knocking them all to the ground. The robed demon started to chant again before one of the remaining vampires screamed. "What.the sun...," the demon shouted as it and the rest of the vampires went into a panic and took off running down the street, desperately trying to outrun the advancing dawn.  
  
"Spike.help me they're hurt," Willow yelled at Spike as he pushed himself up off of the dusty ground. He took a few staggered steps before collapsing back to the ground, dust billowing into his nose and mouth, before a fit of coughing wracked his body and sent him into violent convulsions.  
  
"Wha-what's happening to him," Wesley said with a pained look on his face as he stared in horror at the convulsing ex-vampire on the ground mere feet away.  
  
"Oh no not again," Willow cried as she bolted over to where Spike was writhing in pain on the ground but she stopped just short of touching him.  
  
  
  
"What the fuck.just like last night.he was.," Faith said as she winced in pain as she rose to her knees and watched Willow who was debating whether to touch him or not.  
  
"It's.it's his soul.like when Angel.I thought after last night they were past.," Willow said as tears began to slide down her cheek. Wesley stared at the horrific scene in front of him and slowly the gears in his mind went to work.  
  
"His soul must still be punishing him for every bad deed that he did as a.vampire.why didn't I realize this before.," Wesley said as he started to ramble but a pained moan from beside him snapped him out of it. "Faith," Wesley said with tears springing to his eyes after he locked gazes with his beloved. He started to extend his hand but jerked it back when a jolt of pain ran down his arm.  
  
"You two stay there while I.I.," Willow yelled as she knelt down and tried to grab Spike's arm but failed on her first try and then when she did finally manage to grab hold of it she had to hang on for dear life as the convulsions got worse and blood began to ooze from his nose. "Whoa.calm d- down Spike.please.," Willow said loudly as she wrapped her body around Spike's as she tried to calm him. After a short and extremely violent fit of convulsions Spike's body was torn by one more spasm before he collapsed to the ground, bathed in sweat. "Ahh.it's over.," Willow gasped as she detached herself from Spike and tried to calm herself down.  
  
"We have to get to a hospital," Wesley said through gritted teeth as he pulled a small sliver of glass out of his elbow.  
  
"N-no.no hospitals.I'll be fine.but you.what.what were you thinking you could have been," Faith choked out before tears began to form in her eyes.  
  
"The demon fired.it was going to.I had to protect you.," Wesley said trying to hold back tears of his own.  
  
"Well don't play hero next time.I can't lose you.," Faith said as the tears poured out before she and Wesley gingerly hugged so as to avoid pushing any glass shards in deeper than they already were.  
  
"Come on guys.where's the phone.," Willow said scrambling back through the dust and dirt on her hands and knees to her and Spike's room as nearby Wesley and Faith shared a kiss. She found the phone quickly and called the authorities before the world started spinning and then went black. Hours later she awoke with a start to find herself lying in a hospital bed with an i.v. stuck in her arm and several wounds that she didn't know she had all bandaged up. "Wha.where.how'd I get here," she said groggily as a nurse came in the room. "Good morning Ms. Rosenberg, how are you feeling," the nurse said with a polite smile as Willow noticed that she was carrying a tray of food. Willow was about to say something when she noticed that the food was starting to look very good all of a sudden.  
  
"Okay I guess.where are my friends," Willow said sheepishly as the nurse set the tray down on her nightstand.  
  
"They're here to.in fact one of them has been waiting to see you for an hour now.she wanted to come in earlier but we wanted her to wait until you woke up," the nurse said as she pulled the movable tray on wheels over to Willows bedside and then set the tray of food down onto it.  
  
"Really.well I'm all okay now so I can talk to her," Willow said with a smile as the nurse nodded her head and left the room before Willow heard her say, "You can go in now, she's awake."  
  
"Thanks.hey Will," Faith said as she entered the room and plopped down into a nearby chair.  
  
"Faith.you're okay.the glass," Willow said slightly shocked at seeing Faith so soon.  
  
"Of course I'm okay.super slayer healing factor and all," Faith said with a smile.  
  
"How's Wesley.and Spike," Willow asked as she sat up and began idly studying her food.  
  
"Wes.he'll be fine.it's his own stupid fault for getting in front of me," Faith tried to say with an emotionless face but Willow could see the worry and concern through the mask. "Spike's been raising hell ever since he woke up a couple of hours ago...so he going to get all sickly again or are we past that because I don't care what you say there's no way in hell I'm helping him again if he starts coughing up anymore blood," Faith said with a small shake of her head.  
  
"I.I don't think he will.I think the worst is behind him.but I don't understand why he's having such a hard time with it," Willow said idly sticking her fork into what she guessed were supposed to be eggs.  
  
"Maybe because he's human now.Angel was still a vampire when he go this soul back after all, but we'd better hope they stop soon or he's not going to be much help to anybody, I've got enough to worry about without.," Faith said with a sigh as she began idly spinning her wedding ring around her finger.  
  
"Nice ring.Wesley give it to you," Willow said politely as she dropped her fork back onto the tray and reached for the milk.  
  
"Huh oh yah...you know neither one of us know where he got it.but it's a real diamond all right," Faith said as Willow said a small smile creep onto the rogue slayer's face before Faith snapped back to her old self, "So what's with all the questions about me and Wes, you writing a book or something," Faith said jamming her hands into her pockets and looking out the nearby window.  
  
"N-no.it's just that it's obvious you're in love.but then you act at times like you don't.I just thought," Willow said stammering as she tried to say the right words.  
  
"Well stop thinking so much," Faith said angrily as she stood up and headed for the door but stopped in the doorway and looked back before saying, "You're right I do love him.more than I thought I could."  
  
"I knew it," Willow said with a triumphant smile before taking a drink from her glass of milk.  
  
END OF CHAPTER 7 


	8. Chapter 8

OF THINGS TO COME  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the new ones that I created.  
  
CHAPTER 8  
  
Dawn awoke to the smell of eggs, bacon, and sausage floating upstairs from the kitchen. "Since when did," she thought with a frown before she remembered the arrival of Angel and his friends. After throwing on a bathrobe Dawn tiptoed downstairs so as to not wake anyone up that was still sleeping. When she got downstairs she found Gunn cooking eggs with Fred's help while Cordelia was sitting with Conner on the couch, retelling old war stories of her time as a Scooby.  
  
"Hey Dawnie, rise and shine," Xander said as she entered the kitchen.  
  
"Xander.what are you doing here," Dawn said slightly confused as to why he was here this early. Seeing her confusion Xander quickly spoke up.  
  
"Anya told me everybody was here and then she was so insistent that I come right over.so I did," Xander said before popping a piece of bacon into his mouth.  
  
"Where's Buffy," Dawn said trying to appear calm and collected. But in reality she wanted to just yell at everyone and tell them to leave. "This is why I hate mornings," Dawn thought angrily shaking her head.  
  
"Downstairs with Angel.but I'd stay away if I were you, Buffy didn't seem like she was in to good of a mood," Cordelia said as she entered the kitchen with Conner in tow.  
  
"Great.just another normal Monday at the Summers house...just kill me now," Dawn said bitterly before she trudged back out of the kitchen.  
  
"Did we say something wrong," Fred said looking to Cordelia with a slightly frightened look on her face as Xander sighed heavily.  
  
* * * * * * *  
  
The plane landed earlier that morning and for most of the people on it they were here for the usual.business trips.vacations.and dreamers hoping to make it big in the big city. But for one particular passenger this stop was only the beginning, the beginning of a journey that he hoped would be his last long trip, for he had always hated the long flights between Britain and America. He stepped off of the plane and politely nodded his head and smiled at the flight attendants before he made his way into the terminal. He didn't have much time before his next plane left, so he quickly made a byline for the ticket counter to make sure of his reservation.  
  
"Yes sir flight 333 to Los Angeles leaves in one hour," the ticket agent said with a fake smile, one that he had been shown how to do during his training. "Now may I ask your name so that I can check it against the passenger log," he said with his hands hovering mere centimeters above the keyboard.  
  
"Of yes of course, it's Giles.Rupert Giles," Giles said as he sigh and looked around nervously.  
  
"Is there something wrong sir," the ticket agent said as he saw the concerned looks on Giles' face.  
  
"Yes there is but it's completely beyond your limited comprehension, now is my name on the bloody list or not," Giles snapped as he pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped the beads of sweat off of his forehead.  
  
"Well no need to get snippy, ah yes here it is Rupert Giles, have a pleasant flight," the ticket agent said with a polite smile.  
  
"Thank you," Giles said as he turned and walked away. "I just hope I'm not too late," he thought in desperation as he hurriedly made his way through the crowd.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
After her visit with Willow Faith had taken the opportunity to check the local newspapers thinking that if the hell on earth that was supposed to occur had started then she wanted to know. "Good, it hasn't started yet," she thought with a sigh as she looked through the newspapers and magazines before getting bored. Casting them a final look Faith turned and began walking down the corridor, hoping not to run into anyone as she was only in the mood to talk to one person, and she hoped that for him a hospital stay would not be needed and the quartet would soon be able to again be on its way.  
  
Like Willow Wesley had woken up and been confused as to why he was in a hospital, but the pain in his back and arms reminded him quickly of what had transpired the night before. Shortly after he had woken up he had received a short visit by one of the doctors, telling him that they'd gotten all of the glass out but that he should probably stay in the hospital for a couple of days, just to be safe. He had feigned agreement with the doctors until they left, then he gingerly stood up and began changing back into his normal clothes and was just pulling his jeans up when the doorknob began to turn. "Excuse me but I need a moment.I'm not decent," Wesley said nervously as the doorknob continued to turn and then swung open and Faith strolled in with a big smile on her face.  
  
"Oh calm down.you and your modesty," Faith said with a small chuckle as she closed the door behind her before walking over to Wesley and taking his hands into hers. "You okay," she said softly as she stared up into his eyes.  
  
"Of course.but I think I'll be sore for a very long time," Wesley said with a smile before bending down and giving Faith a long and heartfelt kiss.  
  
"That never stopped us before," Faith whispered with a seductive smile on her face that brought a wide grin to Wesley's face.  
  
"But.we can't.the doctors.," Wesley stammered out as Faith slowly walked away.  
  
"So I'll lock the door.besides it's not like this would be our first time doing it in a hospital, although that time was at night.," Faith said snickering as she got to the door and reached up to turn the lock.  
  
"Don't remind me.my back still hurts.," Wesley said as he picked his shirt up before there was a knock at the door.  
  
"Wesley.Faith.you in there," a timid voice said from the other side of the door. With a pleading look on her face Faith gazed back at Wesley, who after thinking for a second shook his head.  
  
"Sorry luv, let her in," Wesley said frowning as he pulled his shirt on and Faith opened the door after shrugging her shoulders sadly. Willow, now wearing her normal clothes again, slid into the room and quickly pushed the door shut behind her.  
  
"Good you're both almost ready.we can't stay here.we have to get back to Sunnydale," Willow said scratching at one of the bandages that wrapped around her elbow.  
  
"What about Spike, I doubt he's fit to travel," Wesley said as he sat down and pulled on one of his shoes.  
  
"I don't know he looked pretty health earlier this morning," Faith said crossing her arms and leaning up against the wall. "And how'd you get out of your room and down here without setting off all kinds of alarms, they've got these places wired up like Fort Knox?"  
  
"A little magic goes a long way.and I locked the door on my way out.I figure by the time they figure out that I'm not in there we'll be long gone," Willow said with a sly smile.  
  
"Nice plan but what about Spike, they probably have someone watching him very closely, and we can't exactly just waltz out the front door," Wesley said as he pulled on and then tied his other shoe.  
  
"I-I've been thinking about that.and I think I've got a plan that'll work," Willow said shyly as she noticed the skeptical look on Wesley and Faith's faces.  
  
* * * * * * *  
  
After her morning chat with Xander Anya had teleported herself around Sunnydale a bit, hoping to find anything that would help determine where the enemy was hiding. Finding nothing she then teleported back to Buffy's house just as Dawn stormed out of the kitchen. The first person to notice her presence was Conner, as his eyes grew wide as she materialized a few feet behind Cordelia.  
  
"Who are you," Conner said, his hand instinctively reaching for the dagger under his jeans that he had strapped to his calf. Anya just stared at him blankly for a second before Cordelia turned around and jumped a bit. "Anya.where'd you come from.," Cordelia said slightly shocked before Conner drew out the knife and brandished it in defense of Cordelia, who eyed the knife warily.  
  
"Are you friend or foe," Conner said now standing up and placing himself in between Cordelia and Anya.  
  
"Well that depends doesn't it.," Anya said with a big smile before continuing, "If you've been wronged then I'm the best friend you could ever hope to have.but if you've wronged someone then I'm your worst nightmare.," she ended letting her demon face show through which caused a startled Conner to lunge at her with the knife. Luckily Anya had expected such a reaction and quickly backed away before she unceremoniously bumped into someone.  
  
"Anya.what are you.whoa," Dawn started to yell before he voice dropped as she noticed Conner advancing on them with a mean looking knife in his hands. In her defense Anya made sure to stay in-between Conner and Dawn, knowing that the knife could do her little to no harm her main objective was to keep the knife away from Dawn.  
  
"Dawn.what's going on," Buffy yelled as she burst into the room with Angel, making sure to stay away from the rays of sun that filtered in through the drawn curtains, trailing closely behind her.  
  
"It's not my fault I swear.," Dawn said hiding behind Anya as Xander came rushing into the room and almost impaled himself on Conner's knife before he back up quickly and tried to hide behind Anya as well.  
  
"Xander.what are you doing.you should be protecting me," Anya said with a slightly hurt look on her face.  
  
"But he's.he's got a knife," Xander said fearfully with a forced smile on his face.  
  
"Conner put the knife away now.this is Anya.," Angel said trying to stay calm so as to not exacerbate the situation.  
  
"She is a demon.demons are evil," Conner said stuttering a bit as his gaze shifted back and forth between Anya and Angel.  
  
"Oh and like humans are any better," Anya said with a shocked smirk before she stuck her tongue out at Conner, who by now looked ready to stab anybody that came near him.  
  
"C-Conner.give me the knife okay.Anya's not an evil demon.she's like Lorne remember him.," Cordelia said as she cautiously reached a shaking hand towards the knife.  
  
"But she said she was my worst nightmare," Conner said cautiously as beads of sweat began to roll down his forehead.  
  
"Oh that.I heard it in one of Xander's movies.the hero says it and then there's explosions and fighting and.," Anya said with a smile as she looked at Xander out of the corner of her eye.  
  
"You see she didn't mean anything by it," Cordelia said trying to bring some levity to the proceedings. After several moments spent in complete silence Connor slowly withdrew the knife before begrudgingly handing it over to Angel.  
  
"Still don't trust her.," Conner muttered as Cordelia managed to lead him past Anya and into the kitchen, casting a relieved glance back at Angel as she went.  
  
"Good, now that that's settled you think we can have a normal morning in this house," Buffy said angrily as she brushed a stray strand of hair off of her face.  
  
"Sorry Buff," Xander said sheepishly with a nervous look around the room.  
  
"Ya me too," Dawn said anxiously with a brief smile be she tore up the stares and into the bathroom, locking the door after her.  
  
"Sorry about that Anya, Conner he.he's not used to.," Angel said nervously struggling for the right words.  
  
"It's okay.but you really should teach that boy some manners," Anya said with at first a serious look on her face but then it broke into a cheerful smile.  
  
"So Anya.you here for the food or.," Xander said with a hopeful look on his face.  
  
"Just taking an inventory you know.making sure everyone's still okay.if you need any help that kind of thing," Anya said as she walked over and sat down on the couch.  
  
"If what Lorne said is true then we could use all the help we can get.," Angel said gruffly as he sat in the nearest chair that was far enough away from the slivers of sunlight getting through the curtains.  
  
"Well it's not going to be much longer now.before.," Anya said her voice suddenly sounded sad and melancholy.  
  
"What's wrong Anya," Xander said as he rushed to her side before taking her hands in his.  
  
"This isn't good.if what's coming is so bad that it scares a vengeance demon then...," Angel said without finishing as he didn't want to fathom the conclusion.  
  
"I wish we could get some help.," Xander said looking up at both Buffy and Angel.  
  
"Sorry guys but I'm needed elsewhere," Anya said suddenly looking up as if she'd heard someone calling her name.  
  
"What.where.who.," Xander said not wanting to let Anya go.  
  
"I can't tell you that silly you should know that by now.but all I can say is to be careful what you wish for.," Anya said before kissing Xander on the cheek and disappearing before their eyes.  
  
"What'd she mean by that," Gunn said as he entered the living room with Fred in tow.  
  
"I'm not sure.be careful what you wish for.," Angel said softly repeating the vengeance demon's words.  
  
"Because you just might get it," Fred said with a worried look on her face as she looked around the room and the others nodded their heads in grim agreement.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
"Anya.where is she," Willow said impatiently stomping her foot as Faith, who was now posted as look out at the door, snorted a bit and shook her head.  
  
"You sure you're plan will work," Faith said sarcastically with a glance back at Wesley who was arranging the sheets and pillows on his bed so as to look like it was occupied.  
  
"I.I think so.but we need Anya to pull it off.Anya," Willow said nervously calling out the vengeance demons name and staring at the ceiling hoping to find some sign that her call had been heard.  
  
"Okay you can stop shouting now.I heard you the first time," Anya said as she materialized next to Wesley.  
  
"What.she's your plan.the fucking pixie is your big plan.," Faith said angrily as she rolled her eyes and shook her head.  
  
"What.I'm who's plan," Anya said thoroughly confused as she stared at Willow.  
  
"My plan.to get us all out of here.and back on our way to Sunnydale to help our friends," Willow said shyly shrugging her shoulders as Wesley gave Faith a stern calming look.  
  
"May I ask how she's supposed to do it.she can teleport in and out of her easily enough but we do not have that ability," Wesley said as he walked around the bed and came to stand in between Anya and Faith, seeking to be a buffer between them.  
  
"You're right.how many people can you teleport.other than yourself that is," Willow said as she sat down in a nearby chair and stared at the floor so that she didn't have to see the shocked look that Anya threw back her way.  
  
"Two.but you know that I'm not supposed to.even if I do I can only make one trip before I run out of energy and need a day or so to recharge," Anya said sourly crossing her arms and glaring at Faith, who was more than ready to return the glare.  
  
"Okay so then you can't do it alone.what about Halfrek," Willow said with a shy smile as she lifted her head and both Wesley and Faith turned to Anya with questioning looks on their faces.  
  
"Oh no.I can't.," Anya said sheepishly as she took a step back and away from an obviously angry slayer.  
  
"Coward.fine then get the fuck out of here we'll do it on our own, I'll create some sort of diversion while you two get Spike out.ready," Faith said as she turned back to the door and took a quick peek outside.  
  
"Hey I am not a coward.scared at what could happen yes.but I'm not a coward," Anya said now getting angry and taking a step towards Faith before Wesley intervened and motioned for her to go no further.  
  
"Please Anya.for Xander," Willow said as she stood up and also put herself in between the slayer and the vengeance demon, half expecting Anya to just disappear and leave them to solve their own problem.  
  
"Grrr.alright I'll do it.but just this once.and only because Xander's so cute," Anya said with a pouting look on her face as she nodded her head before continuing, "so who's going with me?"  
  
"These two.I need to get to Spike.be sure to tell Halfrek to meet me in his room or else all of this will be for nothing," Willow said avoiding Wesley's startled look and a particularly angry one from Faith.  
  
"Alright.take just a second to contact her.be right back," Anya said before disappearing for a second and then reappearing in exactly the same spot. "Okay she'll do it.although I hope you're happy.I owe her big time for this one," she said frowning heavily before she grabbed onto Wesley and Faith and the trio disappeared right in front of Willow before Faith could even utter a curse.  
  
"Thanks Anya.I owe ya one," Willow said with a smile as she then slowly made her way out of Wesley's room and quickly hugged the rail as she walked towards Spike's room. As she entered Spike looked up angrily with his bedpan in his right hand, obviously intent upon hurling it at the next doctor or hospital worker to enter the room.  
  
"I already told you I hate hospitals.and doctors.and if any of you sons of bitches even think about.oh uh hi Red.sorry about that," Spike yelled at first but upon seeing Willow enter the room he quieted down and almost looked embarrassed.  
  
"Well hi to you to Spike.get ready to leave," Willow said as she almost ran over to the closet that held Spike's clothes and ripped the doors open.  
  
"Huh.and just how exactly am I supposed to," Spike started to say before a grinning Halfrek materialized beside him. Spike almost fell out of the bed in shock.  
  
"While hi Spike, haven't seen you for awhile.Willow.how ya doin dear," Halfrek said with a smirk as she patted Spike on the shoulder.  
  
"Oh I've been better.you know what to do right," Willow said as she pulled Spike's shirt and pants from the closet and threw them on the bed before continuing, "Put those on Spike.and hurry." Spike started to give a retort but Willow silenced him with a look of such importance that he simply climbed out of bed.  
  
"Uh a little privacy here," Spike said slightly angrily as he picked his shirt up and glared at Halfrek and Willow, who just blushed a bright red and turned her back.  
  
"Oh come on Spikey.whatever.when did you become so skittish," Halfrek said with a shrug as she also turned around. Without making a return comment Spike quickly ripped off the hospital gown and pulled on his shirt before he dragged his jeans on and had just zipped them up when Willow turned around.  
  
"Good your dressed.we need to go," Willow said as she reached down and picked up Spike's shoes before throwing them on the bed as well.  
  
"Uh quick question here, how the fuck are we supposed to get out of here," Spike said as he furiously put on and tied his shoes.  
  
"It's simple hon.you're going with me," Halfrek said with a big smile before she grabbed Spike and Willow by the arm and disappeared, all before Spike could even utter his objections. Fifteen minutes later Wesley, Willow, and Spike were discovered missing and an APB was put out on all of them.  
  
END OF CHAPTER 8 


	9. Chapter 9

OF THINGS TO COME  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the new ones that I created.  
  
CHAPTER 9  
  
They materialized mere minutes later but miles away. Anya and her pair were first to reach their destination. Anya had originally intended to reappear just outside the impound yard, but in the end she, Wesley, and Faith ended up reappearing mere feet from their vehicles, albeit two feet in the air. But before Wesley or Faith could utter a word they dropped, along with an unconscious Anya, to the wet ground below. With a look of disgust on her face Faith stood up and shook some of the water out of her clothes as Wesley did the same.  
  
"Next time Willow gets one of her great ideas remind me to kill her okay," Faith said angrily as she turned to the unconscious vengeance demon at her feet.  
  
"Done.now help me with Anya," Wesley said bending down and picking Anya up as Faith sprinted over and opened up the drivers side back door on their SUV before Wesley slid Anya into vehicle.  
  
"Thank hon.," Faith started to say before strange sound interrupted them. Wesley and Faith turned just in time to see Halfrek, with Willow and Spike in tow, materialize in about the same place that they had earlier. And just like before they materialized a couple of feet above the ground, and just as before they dropped to the ground just as Spike was readying to say something.  
  
"Willow," Spike bellowed angrily as he stood up and began brushing off his jeans.  
  
"Sorry Spike.I guess she undershot it a bit," Willow said sheepishly before she crawled to Halfrek's side.  
  
"Are you alright," Wesley said as he made sure that Anya was buckled in before shutting the door.  
  
"I think so.but that's something that I never want to do again," Spike said as he searched for the convertible before smiling slightly as he spotted it. "Ah baby come to poppa," he said with a big smile as his hands traced over the hood and windshield before he hopped in the front seat. "Fuck," Spike growled angrily as he pounded his fist on the dashboard.  
  
"What is it," Willow asked with a worried look on her face as she and Wesley got Halfrek into the back seat of the convertible.  
  
"Well precious we're not going anywhere.no keys," Spike said with an un- amused smile on his face.  
  
"One of the guards must have them, wait here and.," Wesley started to say before being interrupted by Faith.  
  
"You and Spike stay her and be ready.me and Red here will get the key.right Willow," Faith said as she wrapped an arm around Wesley's waist and squeezed before smiling at Willow. For a second or two Wesley eyed Faith wearily, but then Faith gave him her puppy dog eyes face, a face that she made sure none of the others saw as she had concluded that there would only ever be one person who got the privilege of seeing that face, and that was Wesley. And Faith knew that no matter how hard he tried Wesley couldn't help himself and would almost instantly agree to grant her whatever she desired.  
  
"Alright.but don't hurt them to badly.remember what happened last time.," Wesley said with a smile before giving Faith a very stern look trying to make sure she knew that he was serious.  
  
"Oh don't worry that won't happen again.besides how was I supposed to know that there was a security camera back there," Faith said sarcastically as she unhooked herself from Wesley and started walking towards the nearest building, guessing it to be the gatehouse. After she had walked a small ways she noticed that she was walking alone and turned around. "Come on Will.I can't do this alone," she yelled back at an obviously nervous Willow.  
  
"Oh uh yah..," Willow said softly before following Faith with a very nervous smile on her face.  
  
After Faith and Willow were out of site Wesley and Spike went to work making sure that everything was in its proper place. Spike was especially happy to find that his electric razor was still where he had put it as he took the downtime to finally do something that he had been wanting to do for days.  
  
"So what are you going to do when we get back.see Buffy," Wesley said as he leaned up against the SUV and lazily stared over at Spike, who sat on the back of the front seats with his feat hung over the side of the car.  
  
"Nope.I'm not ready to see her yet.probably take Red by Tara's grave.see Clem and get my stuff.can't stay in the crypt anymore.probably just give it to Clem since he's had his eye on it for some time.get that scene over with first.then maybe see Nib.Dawn," Spike said with a frown as he popped the batteries into the electric razor and went to work on getting rid of the beard that he had unceremoniously allowed to spread across his face.  
  
"Faith and I'll probably stay out of sight for awhile, I don't think it'd be to smart to just show up on Buffy's doorstep with all this," Wesley said grimly before the last part forced a restraining laugh out of him.  
  
"No.no it wouldn't," Spike said trying to stifle his own laugh as he and the former watcher exchanged stories while they waited for Faith and Willow to get back.  
  
After making sure that they were far enough away Faith turned to Willow with a serious look on her face. "Good we're far enough away.Willow.you have to promise me something okay," she said as she stopped walking and turned to face Willow, who was now almost out of breath as she had resorted to running to catch up with Faith.  
  
"Why.what are you going to do.," Willow said as she cautiously took a step back.  
  
"Why are you.oh don't worry I'm not going to hurt you.it's just that I want.need you to promise me that whatever happens in there you'll let me do all the talking.and when Wesley asks.and he will, just agree with whatever I say and back me up okay," Faith said trying to sound as sincere as possible because she meant every word.  
  
"I don't know," Willow said as she nervously began biting her fingernails and staring at the ground.  
  
"Please Willow," Faith said softly and Willow let out a small gasp at the sound of the words. For a second Willow couldn't believe her ears, Faith the rogue slayer.the woman who never asked for anything, she just took.had actually just said please. Seeing Willow's indecision Faith spoke up and tried to sound reassuring, "Yah you heard me right, I said please.so just agree."  
  
"Okay.but just don't kill anybody.because then I'd have to tell," Willow said sadly as she sulked off past Faith towards the gatehouse.  
  
"I hope it doesn't come to that.," Faith said frowning before she started walking again and caught up to Willow just as she got the gatehouse. "Remember let me do all the talking," Faith said as she followed Willow into the gatehouse. Faith and Willow entered the gatehouse just as the attendant was getting back from his lunch break. Willow was about to remark about how the attendant looked like Mr. Clean when Faith cast her an angry glare.  
  
"Hello.can I help you," the man said with a friendly smile as he shuffled some papers in front of him.  
  
"Yeah we need the keys for the two vehicles that were brought in here last night, the SUV and the convertible," Faith said nicely as she walked up to the counter and leaned on it slightly as Willow tried to appear as if she were admiring a painting of a valley that hung on the wall.  
  
"Sorry but I can't do that, the convertible was reported stolen a few days ago and a SUV matching the one we have out back was said to have been used in the theft," the attendant said as he sadly shook his head and eyed Faith suspiciously.  
  
"Ah come on.you sure you won't give us the keys," Faith said with a little smile as she winked at the attendant. Willow meanwhile kept her gaze locked on the painting, only letting her eyes drift off of it for a second to keep watch out the front door.  
  
"Yes I'm sure now you should leave.," the attendant said abruptly as he took a small step back from the counter.  
  
"Fine," Faith said with a shrug of her shoulders and a small smile before in the blink of an eye she vaulted over the counter and wrapped the attendant in the sleeper hold before she shouted, "Get the keys!"  
  
After hearing Faith's yell, combined with the shocked gasp of the attendant, Willow spun around and stood frozen in amazement at the sight before her. Even though the attendant was twice Faith's size her slayer strength wore the man out quickly and as Faith yelled again she let the attendant slump to the ground. "Did you..," Willow stammered out as she ran up to the counter looking very pale.  
  
"Kill him.no.he'll wake up with a kink in his neck but we'll be long gone by then," Faith said with a smile as she stood up and made her way over to the open drawer that held all the keys.  
  
"Uh oh.there's so many.," Willow said with a desperate look on her face as she and Faith spent the next few minutes rifling through the key drawer, desperately searching for the right keys. Finally Faith found the keys for the SUV and Willow located the convertible's keys. "Okay we got them let's get out of here," Willow said almost out of breath as she turned towards the door.  
  
"Wait someone has to stay here and open the gate," Faith said as she hopped back up onto the counter before sliding off and landing next to Willow. Before Willow could say anything Faith grabbed the convertible's keys from her and ran out of the gatehouse, leaving a shocked and stunned Willow behind.  
  
"Hey...no fair," Willow said in a huff before she sulked over to where the button was that would open the gate and sighed as she pushed it before taking a final hurried look around and heading out of the gatehouse. As she watched the gate opening she located a clean spot on the curb and sat down to wait.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
The day had gone pretty smoothly for Dawn with the only problem coming when she and Billy had gotten caught goofing off by the librarian. The librarian had been about to call the principal when Billy asked the librarian if there was any way that she wouldn't report them. And after a bit of wrangling they reached an agreement, to keep out of the principal's office Dawn and Billy would stay an hour after school every night that week to work in the library doing various odd jobs. "Great Buffy's going to kill me," Dawn moaned as she sat down and shook her head as the librarian left the room. "No she won't don't worry.just tell her that you're doing research," Billy said as he sat down next to Dawn and put his arm around her.  
  
"Research.like Buffy's really going to believe that," Dawn moaned as she crossed her arms on the table and dropped her head into them.  
  
"Well they did bring all of those magic type books over from the Magic Box.so just say that you're doing a little reading up so that when you go on patrol with her you'll be better prepared," Billy said with a smile as he gave Dawn a squeeze.  
  
"Well that's true.," Dawn said with a thoughtful look on her face as she slowly lifted her head and turned to Billy.  
  
"And if all else fails just tell her the truth, that you're staying late to spend more time with your wonderful and incredibly handsome boyfriend," Billy said with a big smile as Dawn broke into a small laugh.  
  
"Come up with that all by yourself," Dawn said with a big smile as she rested her forehead on Billy's and stared into his eyes.  
  
"What can I say.you inspire me," Billy said with a smirk as his lips inched forward towards Dawn's.  
  
"That I do.," Dawn said before her lips met his and the rest of the world seemed to fade away.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
While Dawn was spending time with Billy in the library Buffy was trapped in her living room answering a mountain of questions from Angel and the others. Gunn and Fred mostly wanted to know about Buffy and Angel's past. And when Buffy got to the part about Wesley becoming her new watcher she noticed that Fred listened to every word while Gunn seemed to be getting more and more uncomfortable as the discussion went on. Dozing off for the older stories Cordelia only woke up and took interest when Buffy got closer to the present, with much talk surrounding Dawn and then Glory and Buffy's death. Conner asked few questions but his eyes kept scanning the faces of everyone in the room, mentally recording each and every reaction to the discussion. He took especially close notice of Angel and Cordelia's reactions as he still hadn't made up his mind about what he thought about his father and the former cheerleader becoming a couple. The discussion became so involved that when Xander had left for work his exit had barely been noticed. Most of the questions about Angel and his group ended after Xander left except for small summaries from Gunn and Fred, who ended up finishing many of the other's sentences, and one from Cordelia, who mostly talked about all the bad things that had happened to her. The breaking point finally came when Buffy started to feel pangs of hunger enter her stomach.  
  
"Say anyone hungry.maybe we should break for supper," Buffy said with a smile as truthful and sincere as she could muster through her exhaustion.  
  
"Oh pish posh we can get food later.more stories," Cordelia said with a small wave of her hand and a smile on her face. Soon her voice was joined by Fred and Conner, both seeming to want to fill in all the blanks in their knowledge about the slayer and vampires.  
  
"Maybe Buffy's right.we have talked for quite awhile.," Angel said after seeing Buffy's unhappy reaction to the opinions being raised.  
  
"So it's not like any of us have to be anywhere," Conner said with a half smile, that Buffy did have to admit reminded her of Angel, as he looked back and forth between his father and the slayer.  
  
"Oh God...," Buffy said suddenly as her gaze fell on the digital clock in the kitchen.  
  
"What's wrong," Gunn said with a frown as he tensed up as if he was expecting a fight.  
  
"I.I have to go...now.or else I'll be late for work," Buffy said impatiently before hurrying upstairs and slamming the door shut behind her.  
  
"Is she always like that," Fred said with a little edge of fear and concern in her eyes as she looked around the room.  
  
"Not usually.," Angel said grimly as he glanced up the stairs with a frown on his face.  
  
"Maybe we should get the other slayer.what was her name again.just in case," Gunn said with a sigh as he noticed Cordelia and Angel glaring at him.  
  
"No that bitch is way to dangerous.she'd probably skip town the moment she got out.," Cordelia said with a hint of anger in her voice. A hint that Angel guessed stemmed from Cordelia thinking that if Faith got out she might go after Angel again.  
  
"Kinda harsh don't you think," Fred said meekly as Gunn put an arm around her and pulled her close and glared at Cordelia.  
  
"Hey you two don't know her life the rest of us do, Faith's psychotic, she can't be trusted," Cordelia said a bit hurt as she glanced over at Angel, silently begging for some help.  
  
"Faith's just.well she's just.," Angel said as he racked his brain as to exactly how to describe Faith accurately before the thought was answered for him as Buffy came down the stairs all dressed for her shift at the hospital.  
  
"She's not me," Buffy said without looking into the living room before she walked into the kitchen.  
  
"Ya," Angel said sheepishly as he avoided Cordelia's eyes.  
  
"Okay I've got to go to work now.so you guys just stay here.and don't break anything.," Buffy said nervously as she went to the door and reached for the knob but the door opened first and Dawn and Billy walked in.  
  
"Hi Buffy," Dawn said with a shy smile as she and Billy sidestepped Buffy and entered the living room.  
  
"Dawn.where have you been school got out hours ago," Buffy said angrily tapping her foot and glaring at Dawn, who gave a weak smile and elbowed Billy lightly in the ribs.  
  
"We just hung out at school for awhile after school, then we met Janice at the park and we've been there ever since," Billy said with as genuine and truthful a smile as he could muster as he tried but couldn't avoid looking Buffy in the eye. For a second it seemed that Buffy wasn't buying it but she then just shrugged.  
  
"Whatever.just stay home the rest of the night.and make sure.," Buffy said impatiently before she saw Dawn nodding her head meaning that she already knew what Buffy was about to say. "Okay then.see you when I get home," Buffy said as she walked outside and shut the door.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
That night the wind picked up considerably, driving the temperature down, and made anyone unlucky enough to have to go out in it reach their destination as fast as humanly possible. But not all the beings out in the town that night were human. As they started to filter into town few noticed the cold against their skin. At first they came one or two at a time, but soon they appeared in droves, aiming for the cemeteries and anywhere in which they could hide during the day. The demons came first with the high ranking demons each staking their claim to a piece of real estate. The vampires started entering the city any way they could, from a city bus that they had commandeered after turning the driver and all his passengers to a rolling flotilla of motorcycles. Their entrance that night into Sunnydale went unhindered by human or slayer interruptions. And just before midnight the ringleaders walked into town as one smiled widely and said, "The slayer will pay for taking Spike away from me, yes she's been very, very naughty."  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
After Buffy left Dawn persuaded the group to hold off on playing twenty questions with her until the next morning. After that Billy suggested that they watch the evening news. At first Conner aimlessly flipped through channels, only staying on any one particular channel for a few seconds before a press of the button and on to the next one. But after only a couple of minutes of this Dawn had grown irritated enough and took the controller away from him and handed it to Billy, who quickly settled on a channel. As the news came back from a break a news anchor came on and opened with a story about a break in that day at an impound yard. Instead of watching Angel sat studying the room, noticing everything that had changed and remembering old times. Only when he heard a gasp from Dawn did he turn back to the screen. As a master vampire Angel thought that there wasn't many things that could surprise him, but tonight he was proven wrong.  
  
"It's.Willow," Dawn said openmouthed as she stared at the screen which showed security camera footage of two women entering the gatehouse of the impound yard and one assaulting the attendant. "Couldn't be.," Angel said calmly as he sat up in the chair and stared at the screen, just as the woman that wasn't assaulting the attendant looked up.  
  
"Oh my God.Willow," Cordelia said, her mind reeling from what she saw on the television, with a gasp before she continued, "Oh no Angel..look who's with her.."  
  
Angel stared at the moment for mere seconds before he recognized the other woman in the video. And as he did he flopped back in his chair and shook his head grimly. "Great.just what we needed," Angel said before nervously running a hand through his hair.  
  
"What's wrong.who's with her," Gunn said getting impatient and feeling as if he was being left out of something. Beside him Fred sat straining her eyes to see the faces of both women on the screen.  
  
"Gunn, Fred, and Conner.may I present the rogue slayer Faith," Angel said with a small wave of his hand as he then joined everyone in the room and stared in shock at the events unfolding on the television screen.  
  
END OF CHAPTER 9 


	10. Chapter 10

OF THINGS TO COME  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the new ones that I created.  
  
CHAPTER 10  
  
The demons and vampires were not the only beings that ended their journey in Sunnydale that night. Unbeknownst to everyone they pulled off the road right in front of the Welcome To Sunnydale sign. Bracing themselves against the wind they got out and huddled together before anyone spoke.  
  
"Well we're here.finally," Faith said biting her lip to try and keep her teeth from chattering as she tried to use Wesley as a windbreak.  
  
"Now comes the really fun part," Willow said with a forced smile as she pulled her hands into her sleeves to get them out of the cold air.  
  
"It is unnaturally cold for this area.I have a bad feeling that this change in temperature and wind velocity isn't a mere natural phenomena," Wesley said as he put a hand up to keep his glasses on his face.  
  
"Just when I think I've broken him of the watcher talk.," Faith says sarcastically as she smiles and lightly bumps into Wesley.  
  
"So what are you saying.that the big bad that we're supposed to fight got here ahead of us.this is just fucking great.I knew we shouldn't have stopped for that late supper," Spike growled angrily as he kicked the ground, sending a cloud of dust up into the air.  
  
"Sorry.but I was really hungry," Willow said blushing as she averted her eyes from meeting Spike's.  
  
"Whatever we're here.now we have to find somewhere out of the way so that no one will know that we're back," Wesley said squinting his eyes against the wind.  
  
"I doubt anything's going to be open right now.," Faith said as Wesley wrapped his arms around her and she pressed herself up against him.  
  
"I know a place we can stay for the night.only hope he's alone," Spike said as Willow gave him a questioning look before he cocked an eyebrow and slightly nodded at her as she seemed to come to the right conclusion in her mind.  
  
"Fine.let's go.I'm freezing my ass off out here," Faith growled angrily as she slipped away from Wesley and jumped back into their SUV.  
  
"And we wouldn't want that now would we," Spike said smiling through the glare Wesley leveled at him before he ushered Willow back into the convertible. And after a few seconds of trying to get the engine started Spike followed Wesley into town, with an unconscious Halfrek in the back seat behind him.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
The day dawned much like the one before it. After work Buffy had cut her patrols short as she finally decided that vampires probably hated the cold as much as she did and were probably all hiding in their burrows, laughing at her as she went by. By the time Buffy woke up Dawn had already left for school. Stumbling downstairs Buffy found herself alone in the house for the first time in what seemed like weeks. "It's quiet.a little to quiet," Buffy thought as she walked into the kitchen. She was just about to open the refrigerator when a knock at the door stopped her. "Who could that be at this hour," Buffy said sighing as she pulled her bathrobe tightly around her and walked to the door. The door opened to reveal a very haggard looking man, one that looked as if he hadn't slept in days, his hair a mess, the beginnings of a beard readily prevalent on his face, and his luggage stacked haphazardly beside him. "Giles," Buffy said suspiciously as she studied the man's face.  
  
"Hello Buffy," Giles said before Buffy threw her arms around him in a massive bear hug.  
  
"Oh I'm so glad to see you," Buffy said with a large smile on her face as she released Giles from the hug.  
  
"As am I," Giles said nervously as with a slightly shaking hand he took his glasses out of his pocket and put them on. Before he could form another thought Buffy had dragged him inside and set him down in one of the chairs at the kitchen table. "Giles.what's wrong," Buffy said with a very serious look on her face as she sat down in a chair opposite Giles and stared into his face, noticing that there seemed to be a few more lines then there had been just a few short months ago.  
  
"Nothing.everything.," Giles said pinching his eyes and shaking his head after taking his glasses off.  
  
"Uh Giles.that's a little vague.care to be a little more specific," Buffy said with a hopeful smile on her face.  
  
"Okay.here goes.an army of demons and vampires is descending on Sunnydale to bring about the end of the world," Giles said from memory as he turned slightly and stared out the window, not wanting to look his former charge in the eye.  
  
"And let me guess.I'm the only one that can stop it, right," Buffy said with a sigh as she shook her head.  
  
"Yes.well not you alone of course.we'll need everyone's help, are Angel and his team here yet, I need to speak to Wesley," Giles said slowly nodding his head and turning away from the window.  
  
"Well Angel did bring his team, but Wesley wasn't with them.he's no longer part of the team," Buffy said with a frown before continuing after seeing the confused look on the face of her former watcher, "It gets even better to, last night Dawn saw a tape of Willow and.get this.Faith stealing some keys at an impound yard in Colorado." Buffy sat silent for a moment and waited for a response from Giles, but none came. All the old watcher did was cock his head up at an angle and stare off into space. Buffy recognized the posture almost instantly as how Giles got when he was deep in thought about something. She was about to stand up from the table when Giles interrupted her.  
  
"These are bad tidings...bad tidings indeed," Giles said shaking his head with a very unhappy look on his face.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
The day moved at a fairly rapid pace for Dawn as long as she could keep the thought of working in the library after school for an hour out of her mind. "At least Billy will be there to," Dawn thought with a smile as she sat doodling on her notebook in her 8th hour study hall. Luckily Dawn and Billy had many of the same classes together and so she had looked forward to school for the first time in a long time. But after the arrival of Angel and his band of melancholy misfits Dawn was having second thoughts. At the end of 8th hour Dawn had agreed to meet Billy right outside the library. And when she got there she found Billy leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets and a smile on his face. "What's so funny," Dawn said with a smile, bumping her shoulder into his.  
  
"Nothing.just thought you might want this," Billy said looking up at Dawn with a smirk before he planted a kiss on her lips and then rushed into the library with Dawn right behind him.  
  
"Billy I'm going to kill.," Dawn said before she looked up at the two people searching through one of the bookcases. Her words died on her lips as the pair turned around. "W-Wesley.F-Faith..," Dawn stammered as she swallowed hard and tried to keep her fear from controlling her.  
  
"Dawn.oh shit," Faith said angrily as she looked back and forth between Wesley and Dawn.  
  
"Hey I saw you in that video last night.," Billy said before he realized what he was saying and quickly shut his mouth and silently moved in between Dawn and Faith.  
  
"Wha.what are you.you're supposed to be in prison.and you're.Angel said.," Dawn sputtered out as she took a step backwards towards the door, her mind still trying to comprehend the appearance of the two people that she had gathered were now not to be trusted in the slightest.  
  
"No Dawn wait.," Wesley said quickly setting the book he was holding down on the table and taking a step towards Dawn, but Billy soon stepped into his eye-line and glared at the former watcher.  
  
"I.I.gotta.," Dawn said as she slowly turned around. She had almost gotten to the doors when they were pushed open and the last person she wanted to see walked in.  
  
"Dawn.what are you," Willow gasped as she stepped into the room.  
  
"Willow.oh no.Billy," Dawn said breathlessly as she backed up and bumped backs with Billy, who seemed to be as startled and unsure of what to do as she was.  
  
"We have to get out of here and tell Buffy and Angel," Billy said bringing his fists up, figuring that he might have to defend himself as Faith was glaring a hole right through him while Wesley looked determined to get to Dawn.  
  
"Now that would be a bad thing," a voice called out from behind a bookcase. Dawn's reply froze in her mouth and her heart skipped a beat as a figure stepped out from behind a bookcase and was instantly bathed in a shower of soft sunlight as it filtered through the libraries large bank of windows.  
  
"S-Spike.," Dawn said her eyes growing wide and her heart racing in her chest.  
  
"Bit," Spike said with a slight grin before it turned to a look of shame as he then shifted his gaze from Dawn's face to a dirt smudge on the floor. Even though he had only looked at her for a few fleeting seconds Spike had to admit that she had grown up a lot since he last saw her. "She's probably taller than Buffy now.," Spike thought scratching the back of his head and letting his hair fall in front of his face, something that he still didn't like doing and mentally reminded himself to cut it.  
  
"I-I've heard about you.stay away from Dawn," Billy said protectively pulling Dawn close to him and away from Willow, who was know staring back and forth between Spike and Dawn.  
  
"Listen I don't know who you are but rest assured that we mean Dawn no harm," Wesley said with as calm a voice as he could while out of the corner of his eye he could see Faith tensing up the same way she did before every fight.  
  
"No.you're lying.," Billy said as he looped an arm around Dawn, who all of a sudden seemed to be having a great amount of trouble staying on her feet.  
  
"Rogue slayer.vampire who tried to rape.psycho witch from hell.," Dawn said, her heart racing, before she lurched back and everything went black.  
  
"Dawn," Billy yelled as he caught Dawn as she fell. "Dawn.what did you do.," Billy yelled as he pulled Dawn over and cautiously sat her down in a nearby chair. "We didn't do anything.," Spike said as he tried to rush to Dawn's side but was stopped just short by an extremely defensive Billy.  
  
"I'll get a cool compress," Willow said looking at Wesley nervously before bursting through the library doors and exiting the room.  
  
"Get out of my way.," Spike said angrily as Faith and Wesley hurried to his side.  
  
"So.you're ganging up on me.fine.doesn't matter what you do to me but I'm not going to let you harm one hair," Billy started to growl angrily before a fist from Faith into his jaw silenced him as he was sent staggering backwards, almost tripping over Dawn.  
  
"Faith," Wesley said glaring at Faith, who simply shrugged her shoulders before answering.  
  
"What.he wouldn't shutting up.," Faith said with a smirk as Wesley went and grabbed Billy's arm to keep the young man from falling.  
  
"Dawn," Spike said as he pulled a chair up beside the one that Dawn was sitting in. "Come on wake up," Spike said softly as he brushed a few stray strands of hair off of Dawn's face just as Willow reentered the library with a wet towel in her hand. As Willow neared Dawn Billy started to move to intercede but Wesley was quick enough and kept him at bay long enough for Faith to come to his aid and glare at Billy menacingly. Seeing Faith standing in front of him with her hand balled up in a fist Billy nervously seemed to calm down, but only a little.  
  
"I'm so sorry Dawnie.," Willow said with a sad and embarrassed look on her face as she handed Spike the wet towel. Without saying a word Spike lifted the wet towel to Dawn's temples, gently pressing the paper up against her flesh. After a few seconds of pressing the damp towel to one temple he applied it to the other temple. Within a few seconds of the change Dawn's eyelids began to flitter before they opened as she gasped and stared at Spike and Willow nervously.  
  
"Spike.Willow," Dawn said as Spike helped her sit up and moved the wet towel to the back of Dawn's neck.  
  
"You can let him go now Wesley," Willow said with a half smile as she looked over at Wesley, who after giving Billy a stern look let him pass.  
  
"Dawnie.are you alright.you fainted and I.," Billy said in rapid succession as the worry and concern was evident on both his face and in his voice. "Is she.," Billy then said with a look of worry on his face as he looked back and forth between Spike and Willow.  
  
"She just fainted.she should be alright.," Spike said before smiling as Dawn sat up in her chair and brought a hand up to her forehead.  
  
"Wha.what are you," Dawn said looking directly at Willow as Spike stood up and looked at Faith, who stood leaning up against a bookcase with an impatient look on her face.  
  
"It's okay Dawnie, we're here to help.," Willow said with as genuine smile as she could get to try and calm Dawn's nerves.  
  
"But why.how.you're supposed to be with Giles," Dawn said starring directly at Willow with a slight grimace on her face.  
  
"It's a long story Dawnie, but I'm not evil anymore so you don't need to be scared of me.okay," Willow said with an extremely hopeful look on her face.  
  
"Right.and that gatehouse attendant was evil right.and you two felt it was your duty to attack him," Billy said angrily glaring at Faith for a few seconds and then shifting his gaze to Willow.  
  
"Listen whoever you are they had to get the keys so that we could get here and save your scrawny ass from the coming apocalypse," Spike said angrily as his left hand started to shake. With a look of horror on his face Spike staggered back a few steps as the shaking moved up his arm and soon fell to his knees.  
  
"Oh no Spike.," Willow said sadly as Dawn leapt out of her chair and pounced on top of Spike, her hands encircling his neck.  
  
"How dare you come back.you tried to.she loved you.," Dawn growled angrily squeezing Spike's neck with every ounce of strength. She didn't seem to notice the fact that beneath her Spike's body was starting to experience sporadic spasms that left him completely unable to defend himself from the surprise attack.  
  
"Fuck," Faith said angrily as she flew by Billy, before he could stop her, and launched herself at Dawn. Faith collided with Dawn with such force that for a split second Dawn stopped choking Spike.  
  
"Dawnie no," Willow yelled in desperation as she jumped up out of her chair with Wesley not far behind.  
  
"Hey wait," Billy said frantically trying to pull Wesley out of the way. His next target was Faith but Wesley recovered quickly enough from Billy's surprise attack and quickly pulled Billy away from Spike.  
  
"Dawn no.he's human.you're killing him," Willow yelled as she grabbed Dawn's arm and along with Faith finally managed to pry Dawn off of Spike.  
  
"He.he.he's.he can't be.," Dawn said with wide eyes as it was obvious that she was having trouble accepting what Willow had told her.  
  
"I know it's hard to believe.but it's true.he's human now.," Willow said loudly as she let go of Dawn and frantically scrambled to Spike's side just as the convulsions began to consume the former vampire. "Come on Spike.," Willow yelled as she wrapped her arms around Spike and tried to ride the convulsions out.  
  
"What's..happening," Dawn gasped as Wesley quickly let go of Billy and rushed to Willow's aide. With wide eyes Billy rushed to Dawn's side just as Faith rushed over and helped Wesley and Willow try and hold Spike down.  
  
"It's.his soul.it's punishing him for.every bad deed he did," Willow said as she almost lost her grip.  
  
"But how.why," Billy said, seemingly speaking for both he and Dawn, as he wrapped an arm protectively around Dawn and pulled her close.  
  
"He.he did it for Buffy.because he truly.loves her," Willow said as the convulsions that violently ravaged Spike's body seemed to ease up. At that statement tears began to well up in Dawn's eyes.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Giles spent his first day back in Sunnydale explaining to Buffy almost everything he knew about the upcoming battle. Over the course of the day Angel and his group, along with the remaining Scoobies, had been alerted and now only Angel himself was not sitting in the Summers' living room listening to the old Watcher's story.  
  
"So then why'd Willow leave.," Cordelia said as she took a sip of her bottled water. Beside her Gunn and Fred relaxed on the couch as Xander was sitting in a chair beside Buffy while Conner stood at the window, his gaze never faltering. It was as if he was waiting for the sun to go down.  
  
"Well somehow she discovered the council's plans.and she bolted soon afterwards.," Giles said as he leaned up against a wall and stared at the floor.  
  
"Great.first Willow leaves without a word only for us to find her lifting keys with Faith.but now Anya's gone as well," Xander said with a look of concern and worry on his face.  
  
"Anya.gone," Buffy said with a thoughtful look on her face as she sat up in her chair and looked over at Xander who nodded his head.  
  
" Ya.after this morning she hasn't come back yet.I hope she's alright," Xander said glancing over at Giles who started to say something but stopped when he looked up and noticed two figures materializing mere feet behind Buffy.  
  
"H-hey guys.something.," Gunn said with an alarmed look on his face as he stood up and pointed over Buffy's left shoulder.  
  
"Gunn.what's the big.Anya.," Xander said finally with a smile as he jumped up as Anya and Halfrek finished materializing.  
  
"Hi guys.miss me," Anya said with a smile as Xander crushed her in a bear hug. "I think we'll take that as a yes," Halfrek said with a smile as Xander let go of Anya.  
  
"So where have you two been all day," Buffy asked, her face barely showing any emotion.  
  
"Just helping some friends.," Anya started to say before her knees buckled and she fell forwards into Xander's arms.  
  
"Anya.Halfrek," Xander yelled as Halfrek gave a little smile before she collapsed to the ground.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * *  
  
While Xander was tending to Anya at Buffy's house Willow had set Dawn and Billy down and was trying to explain the situation while she watched over Spike, who was now resting comfortably enough against the libraries stairs. Wesley was sitting in a chair on the opposite side of the table from Dawn and Billy as Faith was standing but leaning over and resting her chin on Wesley's left shoulder as she draped her arms over his.  
  
"So let me get this straight, after he tried to.rape Buffy.Spike the vampire went to Africa.and after passing some tests he got turned back into a human being like us," Billy said as Dawn leaned back up against him but kept her eyes locked on Spike.  
  
"Something like that.only Spike's no mere mortal.somehow he was able to retain his vampire healing factor and strengths without contracting any of the weaknesses.in other words he's as human as.well.me," Faith said with a smile.  
  
"You know what honey.you're beginning to sound like me," Wesley said with a smile before he froze as he saw the look that he got from Billy and Dawn.  
  
"Honey.did you.just call her honey.and the rings.," Dawn said with her eyes wider than Wesley thought were humanly possible before she continued, "You two aren't.you know.are you?"  
  
"Are we what.," Faith said as she started to stare at a small fly that was buzzing around the table.  
  
"You are aren't you.you're m-married," Dawn gasped as now it was Billy who stared at them wide eyed.  
  
"What.no we're....uh we're.," Faith stammered as she nervously stood up and stared into the back of Wesley's head.  
  
"How.," Wesley said his face red with embarrassment as Faith angrily pulled out a chair and took a seat beside him.  
  
"Your rings.," Dawn said with a small laugh as she then turned her attention to Spike's almost lifeless form, with all that showed that he was still alive being the now steady rise and fall of his chest.  
  
"What.fuck.I knew we forgot something.," Faith said angrily as she and Wesley noticed that they were still wearing their rings.  
  
"I thought we took them off," Wesley said with a smile as he bowed his head slightly and scratched the back of his neck.  
  
"But how.after what.," Dawn said breathlessly trying to calm the turbulent thoughts down in her head.  
  
"It's a really long story.," Wesley began with a smile as he looked back up at Dawn but was interrupted by Willow.  
  
"That's best left for another time.but we need to get Spike back to the hotel.he needs his sleep," Willow said frowning as she checked Spike's pulse before the continued, "But if you want Dawn you can come with us and we'll tell you the whole story.although you have to promise us that you won't tell anyone about this."  
  
"Good.then let's get out of here before anyone else that we're not ready to see waltzes in here and surprises us.I've had enough excitement for one day," Faith said as she shook her head and stood up before walking to the door. As she was stepping through the doors she turned back to Wesley and gave him a slight wink as she said with a smirk on her face, "You coming.honey?"  
  
END OF CHAPTER 10 


	11. Chapter 11

OF THINGS TO COME  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the new ones that I created.  
  
Chapter 11  
  
The last few rays of daylight were just disappearing over the horizon as Billy and Dawn walked into the house, still arguing as to what excuse they would use this time. They had spent the past few hours in Spike and Willow's hotel room listening to Willow, Wesley, and Faith lay out the entire story albeit with Billy and Dawn having to almost constantly swear that they wouldn't say a peep about any of it to Buffy or anyone else. "Hey Buffy I'm.home," Dawn said as she entered the kitchen with Billy close behind.  
  
"Hello Dawn," Giles said with a smile before Dawn hugged him tightly.  
  
"Giles.I'm so glad you're back," Dawn said with a smile as she let go of Giles and then turned to Billy and said, "Giles.this is my boyfriend Billy, Billy Giles."  
  
"Pleased to meet you," Giles said with a smile as he extended his hand towards Billy.  
  
"You to," Billy said with a smile as he reached out his own hand and then shook hands with Giles.  
  
"When did you get back.why are you.," Dawn said with her mind working faster than her mouth.  
  
"One question at a time Dawn, there'll be plenty of time for me to answer all your questions later, but for now I could really use a rest," Giles said with a yawn.  
  
"Of course.so where are you staying.," Buffy said with a thoughtful look on her face as she picked up an apple from the fruit bowl on the counter.  
  
"I.I don't know.I came directly here from the airport," Giles said with a frown on his face. "You can stay here, right Buffy," Dawn said with a smile as she looked over at her sister.  
  
"I don't know Dawn.all we have is Willow's.," Buffy started to say with a smile but then her smile turned into a frown at the mention of Willow's name. The feeling seemed to permeate the room as the other occupants were silent for the next few seconds as well before Billy spoke up.  
  
"Hey there's that little hotel on the edge of town that just opened.it's nothing fancy but I've heard it's cheap," Billy said with a smile that grew bigger after he noticed that Dawn seemed to like the idea.  
  
"Yes.I think that'll do quite nicely.I wouldn't want to intrude," Giles said shrugging his shoulders with a frown on his face.  
  
"N-no you wouldn't be intruding.," Buffy said trying to reassure her former mentor.  
  
"Thank you Buffy.but I do think that Billy here is right.but I need to discuss some things with Angel first.is he here," Giles said as he smiled and patted Billy on the shoulder, Dawn beside him beaming with pride.  
  
"Not yet but you can wait in the living room and talk to Cordelia and the others until he gets here," Buffy said with a smile as she led Giles out of the kitchen. After they had gone Billy turned to Dawn with a smile on his face.  
  
"That went well I think," Billy said putting his arm around Dawn, who shrank back a bit. "What's wrong.," Billy asked frowning.  
  
"I still can't believe.that Spike.I saw him in front of the window.the sunlight.and then I.," Dawn said letting her voice trail off as she looked like she was about to cry.  
  
"Hey now don't beat yourself up.you were in shock when you saw Spike standing in the sunlight.and then the others, you didn't have time to realize that something was different about him.," Billy said reassuringly as he pulled Dawn close before continuing, "And after you woke up he was the first thing you saw and you just acted.."  
  
"What I did was wrong.I could have killed him," Dawn said as a tear slid down her cheek until Billy reached up and wiped it away as his hand brushed against her cheek.  
  
"You were angry at him for what he tried to do to Buffy, it's understandable that you'd want to hurt him.just don't faint like that ever again.you scared me," Billy said with a worried look on his face before Dawn turned and kissed him lightly.  
  
"Sorry.but," Dawn said frowning as she stared at the floor.  
  
"Hey you have nothing to be sorry for, now why don't we go into the living room before Buffy comes back in here and grills you over where you've been all afternoon," Billy said picking Dawn's head up with a hand under her chin.  
  
"Okay," Dawn said with a smile before she and Billy walked into the living room.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
"You sure you're ready for this Red.I mean it's only been a few months.we can always come back tomorrow," Spike said as he and Willow entered the cemetery.  
  
"No.I have to do this.," Willow said with a meager smile before it seemed that her knees would give out from under her, but Spike quickly rushed to her side and looped his arm under hers.  
  
"Whoa now don't go getting all weak kneed on me," Spike said with a concerned look on his face as Willow smiled back at him.  
  
"Thanks," Willow said before she and Spike began walking through the cemetery, with Spike keeping a close eye on her condition. As they walked Willow's mind began to wonder as memories of Tara began to flood back into her mind, bringing tears to her eyes. "Sorry.I didn't know if I'd..," she said sadly as she noticed the look of worry on Spike's face.  
  
"We should stop.go back you're not ready," Spike said sadly as he looked around to get his bearings as they continued to slowly walk through the cemetery.  
  
"I'll be okay.I need to do this.for myself.and for.for.," Willow said before stopping so suddenly that Spike turned back to her in alarm.  
  
"What's wrong.why'd.oh bloody hell.we're here," Spike said at first with a concerned look on his face but then with one of almost fear. For mere feet in front of him it stood, a small grey tombstone with the name of Willow's true love etched into its surface, with the rays of the setting sun seeming to set it ablaze with color.  
  
"Tara.I.Tara," Willow said sadly before the flow of tears turned into a raging river and sobs wracked her body, forcing her to her knees in the damp grass.  
  
"It's okay to cry luv.let it out.," Spike said as he fought back tears of his own as he pulled Willow close as she continued to sob.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
"Finally.," the vampire growled angrily as the sun slipped beneath the horizon and out of view. The other assembled vampires smiled and nodded their heads in silent agreement. They had gathered at what they had been told was a holy site, the site where the witch had almost raised a temple that would have brought about the end of the world. But she had been stopped just in time by one of her friends.  
  
"The whelp will be the first to die," a snarling demon said with murderous intent in its one bulbous eye as it traced its hand over the spot where the temple had been.  
  
"Only when I command it.now that the sun is down we're free.free to hunt," came an at first angry voice which then softened to one of seemingly pure joy. The vampires and a few demons in attendance turned before bowing before their queen. "Yes my children.tonight it begins.the witch is here.bring her to me.and do not fail me.or else you'll suffer the same fate as your friends," the queen said with a smile before she turned away and walked into the night, her robes billowing behind her. For several seconds the vampires only stared after her before their gaze shifted to a large pile of dust nearby. Shivers ran through their bodies as they remembered the sight of their comrades slowly being burned into ash by the rising sun, a punishment doled out by their queen for their failure to bring in the witch and her friends.  
  
  
  
"We will get that bitch tonight.or die trying," a vampire growled in anger before it stormed off down the hillside with several other vampires following closely behind.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * *  
  
While Spike and Willow were holding a vigil at Tara's grave Faith decided to go out on patrol, but only after arguing with Wesley for a time. In the end Wesley had relented and she was free to go on her patrol, with only one catch, that he be allowed to come with her. "I don't need any help," Faith said angrily as she picked two stakes up out of one of the bags.  
  
"I know you don't.but these are special circumstances.and someone needs to keep a look out for Buffy," Wesley said putting his hand on Faith's shoulder and turning her to face him, her eyes still holding their anger.  
  
"If I see B I'll walk the other way.you worry too much," Faith said before letting her anger slip away as a smile spread across Wesley's face. It was his special smile, the one that no matter how hard she tried Faith could never stay angry at him after seeing that smile. He didn't use it often but when he did it always worked. The first time he had used it was soon after they had started sleeping together. "You know I hate it when you do that.makes me feel like agreeing to anything," Faith said as she felt a smile spreading across her face. She had never liked to smile very much but for some odd reason she found herself smiling a great deal when Wesley was around.  
  
"Why do you think I do it.now let's go," Wesley said with a sly grin before he kissed Faith and headed out the door, with her following close behind him. They decided to check out all of Faith's old haunts first. Unfortunately for them the first place they went was crawling with vampires. "You used to hang out here," Wesley said with a confused look on his face as he turned and looked back at Faith.  
  
"Hey it was out of the way.you know," Faith said with a frown before she smiled and said, "And a good place to hide things.but I don't remember that being here." With an angry glare Wesley first looked at Faith before he turned his attention to what was in front of him. It seemed to be a rickety old tower that looked like it was cobbled together by idiots.  
  
"I'm surprised that thing is still standing, those supports look like they're about ready to give way," Wesley thought as he scratched his chin and frowned. "I wonder why they've congregated here.this doesn't seem to be an important place," Wesley said as Faith handed him a stake with one of her energized smiles on her face.  
  
"Who cares.just means we'll see some real action tonight," Faith said as she started to jump out from behind the stack of crates that she and Wesley were hiding behind.  
  
"Wes...Faith.," came a voice from behind that froze Faith in her tracks and made Wesley almost leap out of his skin.  
  
"Angel.what.," Wesley said searching for the right words as he brought up his stake and prepared to defend himself if necessary.  
  
"Easy Wes.easy.I'm not going to kill you.," Angel said with his arms outstretched, palms towards Wesley. Faith meanwhile almost dropped her stake at the sudden appearance of Angel. But she regained her composure when another figure stepped out of the shadows and stood beside Angel.  
  
"Who the fuck are you," Faith growled as she raised her stake up to heart level and looked about ready to attack when Angel stepped in front of her with a very serious look on his face.  
  
"Faith no.this is Conner.he's.," Angel said as he hoped that Faith wouldn't follow through with her plan of attack and try and stake Conner. If Faith and Conner had fought Angel didn't know who to be more concerned about.  
  
"Your son.yeah Wes told me about him," Faith said dropping her stake back down to her side and seeming to relax a bit.  
  
"Uncle Wesley," Conner said slowly as he studied the man standing in front of him with a weary eye.  
  
"Conner.good to see you.but what are you two.," Wesley said looking back and forth between father and son while Faith made sure that no vampires were about to attack them.  
  
"To help Buffy with whatever hell is coming this way.but something tells me that you're here for much the same reason," Angel said frowning and slowly nodding his head as Conner turned to Faith.  
  
"Can we trust them," Conner whispered as softly as he could to Angel as he forced a weak smile onto his face.  
  
"You trust us.the better question is can we trust you," Faith said angrily glaring at Angel who mentally kicked himself for forgetting to tell Conner about a slayers increased hearing ability.  
  
"Yes.we can.," Angel said casting Faith an embarrassed smile before he turned to Wesley. "Uh Wesley there's something I need to say to you.and uh.I wanted to wait till the right time but.sorry about the whole trying to suffocate you with your hospital pillow thing.," Angel said sheepishly as he tried to look Wesley in the eye but couldn't and ended up staring at the ground, which turned out to be a good thing because he was ready for Wesley's reaction, but not for Faith's.  
  
"Apology accepted.," Wesley said solemnly nodding his head as he tried to force a smile to the surface but his face ended up just sticking in a frowning position.  
  
"You didn't tell me he tried to kill you.you said you two had a falling out," Faith said very angrily as she glared first at Wesley and then she turned her death glare towards Angel, appearing as if she were about ready to drive the stake she was holding straight through his un-beating heart, but Conner pulled Angel back and stepped in front. "Get out of my way devil spawn," Faith growled as she lifted her stake.  
  
"Get away from my father you bitch," Conner said angrily as he brought his hands up, ready to defend Angel and himself from any attack. Before the situation could get any farther out of hand Wesley quick grabbed Faith from behind and, against her very vocal objections, pulled her away as Angel much the same to Conner.  
  
"Let me go Wes nobody calls me a bitch.," Faith growled angrily until Wesley whispered in her ear.  
  
"Stop it you're acting like a spoiled brat.we need Angel and Conner on our side," Wesley whispered before Faith started to calm down and lowered her stake, although glaring angrily at Wesley as she did. A few feet away Conner cautiously lowered his hands and seemed to calm down.  
  
"Good.see.we don't need anybody killing anybody here.we're all on the same side.right Wes," Angel said looking pleadingly at Wesley.  
  
"Right.now I think," Wesley started to say before a loud roar erupted behind him as a group of demons and vampires came around the corner and spotted the quartet.  
  
"Fuck," Faith said before leaping at the nearest vampire, turning it into a pile of dust before it could even put up a fight. Her attack was soon followed by Angel who tore into a particularly ugly looking demon that charged towards him. Conner meanwhile leapt over the first line of vampires before pulling a stake from his back pocket and dusting the first vampire that came near him. Wesley came in last as he started to run towards the others but was cut off from them by a new group of vampires that had heard the noise and decided to join the party. At first the quartet held their own, with many a vampire reduced to dust. But after a short time the sheer number of vampires forced them apart and they quickly became separated, with Angel and Faith being driven back away from the tower and towards a security fence. Conner however was able to at least hold his ground, although he knew that he couldn't hold that spot of ground for too long against the horde of enemies that stood before him. Wesley was driven back towards the base of the tower, where there were many high mounds of dirt and trash that could easily hide someone from view.  
  
"This isn't going very well," Angel said as he slipped his game face on and snapped the neck of a nearby demon.  
  
"What was your first clue," Faith said sarcastically as she crouched down and took the legs out from under a vampire with a spinning kick before spearing it through the heart.  
  
"Where's Conner," Angel said desperately trying to search for his son while at the same time keep himself, and Faith, from getting killed.  
  
"Still.by the crates," Faith said as her fist connected with the jaw of another vampire, knocking it out cold.  
  
"And Wesley," Angel said as he dodged a demons claws and leapt onto its back.  
  
"I don't.wait.on the tower," Faith yelled as she reduced another vampire to dust before she looked up and saw Wesley being driven up the tower by a group of snarling demons.  
  
"Go.I'll try and hold the line here.," Angel said before having to hold on for dear life as the demon began to flail about wildly, its claws killing vampires before they could get out of the way.  
  
"But you can't hold them all off.," Faith said as another vampire fell before her.  
  
"Just go.it's almost dawn.we only have to make it till the sun's first rays," Angel said before losing his grip and being thrown from the back of the demon and into a large group of vampires, knocking them all off of their feet. Without another word or a look back Faith slammed her fist into the jaw of a vampire in her way before she broke into a run, directly towards the bottom few steps of the tower.  
  
While Angel was riding the large demon Conner was having troubles of his own. His stake had been lost when he had driven it into a demons eye, hoping it would connect with the brain and kill it. Unfortunately for him the demon's brain was well encased in bone and the sliver of wood in its eye only seemed to further infuriate the demon. "This isn't working.there are just to many of them.," Conner yelled at the top of his lungs, hoping that one of the others was close enough by to give him aide. But unfortunately Faith was frantically climbing the tower at that moment, hoping to get to Wesley before he became overwhelmed by the forces that were following him.  
  
"Wesley.wait," Faith yelled as she finally managed to get onto the same platform that Wesley and those intent on killing were on, albeit on the other end. She sprinted across the landing and launched herself onto the nearest vampires to Wesley, knocking them down and even sending one of them tumbling off of the tower and crashing to the ground.  
  
"Took you long enough," Wesley said as he struggled to stay standing as a large vampire came up behind him.  
  
"Wesley look out," Faith screamed as she stood up and leapt towards the vampire, stake aimed at its heart.  
  
"Not today slayer," the vampire said with a sinister smile as it grabbed Wesley and pulled him in front of it, just in time for Faith's stake to plunge into his body and tear through his chest.  
  
"Uhn.," Wesley gasped as his eyes grew wide and his jaw dropped open as blood began to slide out of his mouth. Faith instantly released her grip on the stake as the look of desperation and anger slipped from her face and was replaced by one of sheer terror and horror.  
  
"W.W.," Faith choked out as Wesley slumped against her, knocking her off her feet and almost off of the tower. As she fought back the bile that she felt rising in her stomach she rolled Wesley's limp body off of her and sat up as the vampires around her began to laugh and cheer at the sight. "What have I.it wasn't supposed to.I didn't mean to.what is.," Faith stammered out before she glanced down and discovered that she was covered in blood. "His blood.," Faith's terror stricken mind shouted at her. Finally she could hold the bile back no longer and it came shooting out and mixed with the pool of blood that Faith found herself sitting in. Fighting back tears she tried to stand up but her foot came out from under her and she was thrust back down into the mixture of bile and blood, the stench pouring into her nose. Groaning in pain, as her shoulder felt like it was broken, Faith rolled over and got to her hands and knees before she crawled over to his lifeless body and pulled him close as the tears began to stream down her face. "Wes...no.please no.I.can't.no.," Faith choked out through the sobs that wracked her body as the vampire that she had been aiming for took a few steps in her direction before stopping and smiling.  
  
"Good aim.thanks for helping us get rid of one of our problems," the vampire said before it broke out in a loud fit of laughter that sent chills down Faith's spine and alerted those below.  
  
Angel had just snapped a nearby vampire's neck when he had looked up and saw Faith leap into the air and then drive the stake home. "Faith.no.Wes," Angel yelled at the top of his lungs as he saw Wesley slump over and fall on top of Faith. With tears welling in his eyes he let go of all his inhibitions and began tearing into the vampires surrounding him with a reckless abandon not seen since his days as Angelus.  
  
Conner did not see Wesley fall but upon hearing Angel's cry he knew that something was wrong, very wrong. "Father what.," Conner said before he lifted his eyes up and saw the blood start to run over the side of the platform and drip off. "Damn," Conner growled as he vaulted over the nearest demon and tore off towards the platform.  
  
As Angel was tearing into the vampires below Faith could only stare in horror at the sight of her hands bathed in Wesley's blood while his head lay haphazardly in her lap. Her tears began mixing with the blood and eerily maroon drops began to fall from her hands. "Oh God.no.Wes.no.my fault.all my fault," Faith whimpered before she was struck from behind and everything went black.  
  
With a grunt of joy the vampire that had struck Faith prepared to drive its knife through her heart but was stopped by a loud growl from the vampire that had caused it all. "No.she is to remain alive.for now.causing the death of one she loved so dearly will cause our queen's desired effect.this is worse than killing her," the vampire said with a laugh before kneeling down beside Wesley's lifeless body. "It's almost dawn bring the body...," the vampire said with a smile before it turned as a robed figure materialized nearby.  
  
"Is it done," the robed figure said as a forked tongue shot out from beneath the cowl. All the vampires, except for the head one, scowled at the sight.  
  
"See for yourself," the vampire said with a broad smile as it stepped aside and waved its hand through the air as if it were showing off a prized steer.  
  
"Good, now gather around me, it is time to leave," the robed figure said merrily with a small chuckle before the head demon grabbed Wesley's feet and dragged him near and the other vampires came and crowded around his body. "Farewell slayer.we will meet again.and you will not be so.lucky.again," the robed figure said before chanting a few words and disappearing along with Wesley's body and the assembled vampires.  
  
Angel reached the platform just as the robed figure and the others disappeared. "No.Faith," Angel yelled as he slipped out of his game face and ran to the rogue slayer's side. With tears sliding down his cheeks he solemnly lifted Faith into his arms and after one final tearful glance back at the pool of blood began to walk back towards the stairs. "I swear this now.even if I lose my soul because of it.I will kill you all," Angel shouted angrily with the last bit at the top of his breathless lungs. And with that he sulked down the stairs with the bloody slayer in his arms before he and Conner took to the sewers and brought their solemn burden home to Revello drive.  
  
END OF CHAPTER 11 


	12. Chapter 12

OF THINGS TO COME  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the ones that I created.  
  
Chapter 12  
  
Dawn had just woken up when there was a knock at the door. "Okay.I'm up.keep your pants on," Dawn said groggily as she sat up and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. She had ended up sleeping on the couch, listening to the talk between Buffy and Angel's group until her eyelids had become too heavy. After almost stumbling over the rug Dawn got to the door and opened it.  
  
"Out of the way," Conner yelled as he and Angel came running into the house, almost bowling over Dawn in the process.  
  
"What the," Dawn said as she shut the door and turned around to see Conner staring at her with a fair amount of blood on his shirt. Dawn's heart skipped a beat as Conner laid a hand on her shoulder and looked into her eyes.  
  
"Where's Buffy," Conner said with a straight face that Dawn could see hid a great deal of concern and confusion. Dawn felt almost sick to her stomach when Conner took his hand away and she saw that he had left a bloody handprint on her shoulder.  
  
"We need blankets," Angel yelled from the next room as Dawn entered the living room to find a sight that would most likely haunt her until the end of her days. Lying on the rug, curled in an almost fetal position and covered in blood, was the one person that Dawn had doubted that she would ever see this way. Faith, the rogue slayer.the person you couldn't trust.the person she had hated until recently.the person who had almost killed more than one of her close friends.was now lying on a rug in her living room looking like a scared and small child. "Buffy," Angel yelled angrily as a beam of light hit his arm and it began to smoke. He flailed it around for a few seconds before Conner rushed in with a towel and smothered the flames.  
  
"What's the big idea getting me.Angel," Buffy yawned at first before she saw Angel and Conner and all the blood. But she almost fainted when she got to the bottom of the stairs and saw Faith on the rug. "What happened.is she.," Buffy yelled frantically rushing to Faith's side as Conner turned to Dawn. "Dawn get a bowl of water and some towels.we need to.help Faith," Conner said with a small bit of fear in his eyes as Dawn let out a small squeak of fear before she turned and raced into the kitchen. Dawn proceeded to frantically search through the cupboard until she found an old punch bowl that they hadn't used in a long time and began to fill it with water.  
  
"We fought some vampires and demons where you.you.died and.," Conner stammered out as his face became crestfallen and he looked away.  
  
"And what.Angel what happened.I need to know," Buffy said with her eyes filled with worry as she felt for Faith's pulse.  
  
"Wesley's dead," Angel said solemnly as he ignored the look of sheer panic and horror that Buffy gave him as she gasped and mouthed -how-. "Faith killed him.she didn't mean to it was an accident," he said with a frown as a tear slid down his cheek.  
  
"Wesley was here.in Sunnydale.," Buffy said with her mind still trying to come to grips with the reality of what had just transpired.  
  
"I've got the water and the towels," Dawn said as she cautiously carried in the water filled punch bowl and set it down beside Faith.  
  
"We need to get her cleaned up before.oh shit she's awake," Angel said as he dipped one of the towels in the water before Faith awoke the second that he touched her with the wet towel.  
  
"Wha.where am.Wes.no.," Faith moaned as the tears again streamed down her face and began to soak the rug beneath her before she turned her head and fixed her gaze on Angel. "I couldn't save him.it's my fault.it's all my fault," she moaned as she began blubbering like a small child before she temporarily composed herself long enough to say, "I know it.I'm being punished for all the bad things I've done.all the blood on my hands.for helping the Mayor.hurting you.hurting.hurting him." After that Faith slipped back into unconsciousness.  
  
"Is she.is she.going to be okay," Dawn said as she felt tears sliding down her own face before she looked at Conner, who seemed about ready to cry as well.  
  
"We need to get her cleaned up.she needs to get all this blood off.," Buffy said taking charge and setting her jaw even though Angel could tell that if someone were to interrupt her she'd break down and begin crying just as Faith had.  
  
"The bathtub," Angel said as he bent down and picked Faith up off of the rug and hurried to the stairs with Buffy close behind.  
  
"Dawn you stay down here and help Conner get cleaned up while we help Faith," Buffy said turning back to Dawn before she bounded up the stairs after Angel. Upstairs Angel slowly lowered Faith into the bathtub and had begun to untie her shoes when Buffy came in.  
  
"Hey whoa.wait a minute.I think I should do it.," Buffy said as she grabbed Angel's arm and stopped him.  
  
"What she needs help.I have to.," Angel said with a confused look on his face before he saw Buffy cock an eyebrow and give him a knowing nod before her reasoning hit him. "Yeah.you're right.you should do this.I'll go downstairs and help Dawn and Conner," Angel said sheepishly before he stood up and closed the door on his way out, leaving Buffy to finish what he started.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"I wonder where Angel is," Fred said shyly as she sipped her cup of tea and looked towards Gunn, who was holding a mug of coffee.  
  
"You mean he's not back yet.but the sun.," Cordelia said with a concerned tone in her voice as she frantically looked out the window before looking back at Gunn and Fred.  
  
"Don't worry about it, he's probably found some place to hide out for the day.," Gunn said with a calming look towards Cordelia before he continued, "Look if it bothers you that much why don't you just call him on his cell phone."  
  
"Alright then I will," Cordelia said as she was about to reach into her pocket for her own cell phone but it rang before she could even get her fingers into her pocket. "That's strange," Cordelia said with a frown as she pulled her cell phone from her pocket and answered the phone. "Hello.Angel.where are.what.slow down you're going to fast.bring what..where.okay we'll do it.," Cordelia said as her expressions went from joy to worry to fear and back to joy before finally resting on confusion as she said goodbye.  
  
"What'd Angel want," Fred said as she rubbed out a coffee stain on the table.  
  
"Just some clothes for him and Conner and for us to get over to Buffy's house right away," Cordelia said as she put her cell phone back in her pocket and took another sip of tea.  
  
"I've got a bad feeling about this.something ain't right here," Gunn said with a frown as he looked back and forth between Fred and Cordelia.  
  
"I agree.Angel didn't seem like himself.not at all," Cordelia said with a frown and an ever increasing feeling of dread as they paid for their coffee and tea and went back to the hotel to get what Angel had asked for.  
  
"Got everything," Gunn asked as Cordelia and Fred got back in the convertible and shut the door.  
  
"I think so.but you know how Angel packs.just stuffs clothes into a bag and calls it good enough," Cordelia said as she put two plastic bags filled with clothes onto the floorboard of the back seat.  
  
"And Conner's the same way.like father like son I guess," Fred said shrugging her shoulder and smiling meekly.  
  
"Whatever.time to go," Gunn said with a frown on his face before he shifted the car into gear and drove off towards Revello Drive. They arrived just as Xander pulled in the driveway with Billy so that they could pick up Dawn and take her to school.  
  
"Hey guys.you're here pretty early," Xander said with a smile as he leaned up against his car.  
  
"Shut up Xander," Cordelia said with a mocking smirk as she walked right by him and proceeded up to the front door, followed closely behind by Gunn and Fred. "Laundry day or something," Billy said with a thoughtful look on his face as he got out of the car and followed Gunn and Fred up to the front door. Cordelia was just about to reach for the doorknob when the door flew open and a thoroughly frightened Dawn almost pulled Cordelia's arm off as she drug her inside.  
  
"Hey watch it.that's my arm," Cordelia said angrily as Gunn and Fred entered with Billy in tow. "Now what so.oh my God," Cordelia gasped fearfully as the words died on her lips at the sight of Conner wearing a shirt that was wet with blood.  
  
"Conner.what.," Fred said fearfully before she began trembling slightly.  
  
"Uncle Wesley is dead," Conner said with a firm look on his face with his hands in his pockets before he stared at the floor and walked back into the kitchen.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
"So you going to talk to Clem again tonight or are going to do the why you even came back here in the first place," Willow said with a smirk as she looked over at Spike sitting on the edge of his bed.  
  
"I can't.see her yet.no.not yet," Spike said morosely as he started flipping through channels before he angrily shut the television off and fell back onto the bed.  
  
"Well you can't avoid her forever you know.you're going to have to tell her you're back sometime.or else I will," Willow said standing up and slapping Spike lightly on the knee with a smile on her face. Spike shot her back an ice cold look. "Oh come on Spike.hey let's go out.we could go see the school.Dawn said it was all rebuilt and everything," Willow said nodding her head with a smile on her face as she started to walk towards the television.  
  
"Why the hell would you want to go there.if I remember correctly you couldn't wait to get out of there.and didn't you want to have a party after it got destroyed.or was that someone else," Spike said angrily as he sat back up and lazily looked over at Willow.  
  
"Okay.so maybe not all of my ideas are good ones.but at least I came up with one.all you've done since we got back is sulk around," Willow said looking all around the room so as to not lock eyes with Spike as a smile crept upon her face. "Nothing wrong with sulking.I could get used to it," Spike said with a sigh before Willow turned back towards him and began looking at him until Spike noticed. "What the fuck do you want?"  
  
"I've got another idea.why don't we go to The Bronze," Willow said with a small laugh as it was evident to Spike that she liked this idea much more than the other.  
  
"But Red it's only eight in the morning.The Bronze is closed.although now that you mention it I could use a drink," Spike said with at first a firm look on his face but then it softened into a thoughtful look.  
  
"So when has The Bronze being closed stopped us before.we've been there at all odd hours of the day and night remember.fuck I'd even bet that Buffy spent more time there then she did studying," Willow said with a smile that grew as she noticed the eyebrow cocked and an odd look that Spike had on his face. "What's the look for?"  
  
"Nothing.just don't remember if I ever heard you swear before.I must be starting to rub off on you.Buffy would really hate that.," Spike said with a chuckle.  
  
"You don't know that for sure.after you left I think she missed you.now granted I was a swirling ball of hate and sadness that was trying to end all life on earth at the time.but even I could see that," Willow said as she walked over and patted Spike on the back.  
  
"After what I did.she didn't miss me.she said I was beneath her.and you know what.she was right.so maybe I should stop thinking otherwise," Spike said angrily as he stood up and stomped towards the door.  
  
"Come on Spike let's not start that again.Spike," Willow said sighing and shaking her head for the first part before saying the last part as Spike went out the door, slamming it loudly behind him. "Fuck," Willow muttered under her breath before she looked around nervously as if to make sure that no one had heard her.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"What.Faith's here.," Cordelia said completely shocked as Angel sat down on the couch beside her after a quick change of clothes. Buffy had made sure beforehand that all the blinds were completely closed. "Yeah she's here.physically anyway.she's upstairs in Buffy's bed.Buffy got her cleaned up.but I've not no clue in hell where her mind is.she hasn't said anything since.since.," Angel said solemnly looking over at Cordelia before he got to the last part and couldn't look her in the eye anymore and turned his attention to a small fly that had landed on the coffee table in front of him.  
  
"I'm just lucky that she's my size," Buffy said sadly as she crossed her arms and began idly scratching a small zit on her arm.  
  
"What happened," Billy asked sadly after looking around the room at the looks on the faces on Angel's group and the assembled Scoobies.  
  
"We were fighting vampires and demons and he didn't make it," Conner said firmly before Angel cast him an angry glare. "He died bravely," he muttered as he turned away and walked into the kitchen.  
  
"But he can't.," Fred said on the verge of tears as she clung tightly to Gunn, who seemed to be in a bit of a daze, as if his mind was having trouble taking hold of what he was hearing.  
  
"But what was he doing there.with Faith," Dawn said sadly as she leaned her head on Billy's shoulder.  
  
"I don't know.we didn't have much time to find out before the vampires and demons showed up.and then.it was to late," Angel said as he leaned back on the couch and stared at the ceiling.  
  
"Just doesn't seem fair you know," Gunn said with a frown on his face as Billy and Dawn sat down in the chair beside him with Dawn sitting on his lap sideways and leaning her head on his shoulder.  
  
"So what else is new," Billy interjected as he put his arms around Dawn.  
  
"Shouldn't you two be at school by now.where's Xander," Buffy said sighing as she nervously looked around the room.  
  
"Over here Buff," Xander said as he stood up in the far corner of the room and sheepishly raised his hand as Anya materialized beside him.  
  
"What's wrong.," Anya said with a worried look on her face as she noticed everyone looking oddly at her.  
  
"Wesley's dead An," Xander said slowly as he walked by the now crestfallen vengeance demon.  
  
"That sucks.he was going to be.never mind," Anya said nervously before walking up behind Buffy and looking at her feet.  
  
"So did she have anything in her pockets.like car keys.receipts.ticket stubs," Fred said with tear rimmed eyes as she looked up and over at Buffy.  
  
"Just this," Buffy said as she pulled a ring from her pocket before continuing, "It's beautiful."  
  
"It looks expensive," Angel said after taking the ring from Buffy and holding it up to get a better look at it.  
  
"She probably stole it.," Cordelia said frowning as she shook her head.  
  
"N-no she didn't," Dawn blurted out before Billy could stop her.  
  
"What.how do you know," Buffy said with a very disapproving look on her face as she looked back and forth between Dawn and Billy.  
  
"She told me.and Billy when we.anyone want some water.I do.come on Billy let's go get some water," Dawn said suddenly hopping up and pulling Billy to his feet before she dragged him into the kitchen before anyone could put a word in edgewise.  
  
"Wonder what that was all about," Gunn said with a small smile as he shook his head. Dawn didn't stop pulling Billy until they were well into the kitchen and out of earshot of everyone in the living room. "Something wrong," Conner said looking up from the paper.  
  
"Wrong.no of course not.uh Conner.would you mind going into the living room for a bit, I want to talk to Billy.in private," Dawn said with a sincere smile.  
  
"Whatever," Conner said sighing as he stood up and after a confused look at Billy slowly walked into the living room.  
  
"What's all this about.that's her wedding ring isn't it," Billy said as he spun Dawn around slightly so that he could look her in the eye.  
  
"Yeah it is.," Dawn said sadly as she picked up the phone and started dialing.  
  
"Who're you calling," Billy asked with a confused look on his face as he kept moving his eyes back and forth between watching Dawn and making sure that no one was interrupting them.  
  
"Willow.we need her over here.she's the only one that knows the whole story," Dawn said with a worried look on her face as she finished dialing and waited as the phone started to ring. "Hello.Willow it's me.you need to get over here right now.I can't say why now.but you have to get over here.please.okay good.bye," Dawn said nervously into the phone before hanging it up.  
  
"Now what," Billy said with a nervous look on his face.  
  
"We pray," Dawn said before she hugged Billy as tightly as she could, with him soon returning the favor.  
  
END OF CHAPTER 12 


	13. Chapter 13

OF THINGS TO COME  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the new ones that I created.  
  
Note: You demanded it so here it is.the meeting.  
  
Chapter 13  
  
It was nine thirty in the morning. "The same time that Warren.," Willow thought sadly as a tear slid down her cheek. Not wanting to dwell on that day she quickly parked the car by the curb and stepped out. "This is not how I wanted to do this," Willow said hesitantly as she started walking towards Buffy's front door. "What am I going to say.hi guys I'm back.sorry for trying to bring about the end of the world and all.but don't worry I'm better now," Willow thought nervously as she got to the door and raised her hand to knock, but the door opened before her hand got to the door.  
  
"W.Willow," an extremely startled Xander stammered out with his hand still on the doorknob, unsure of exactly what to do.  
  
"Hi Xander.," Willow said nervously with a smile as she brushed a lock of hair back behind her ear.  
  
"Come on Xander we.Willow," Dawn said crying out loud, so loud in fact that Buffy came to see why.  
  
"Dawn what's all the racket.about.Willow," Buffy said with a shocked look on her face as she came to stand beside Xander after pushing Dawn back away from the door. Back in the living room Fred was still wiping away an army of tears with Gunn trying to comfort her while Angel just stood by a window across the room and stared aimlessly out of it. Conner had taken to reading through the encyclopedias after Dawn had shown them to him to pass the time after she called Willow. Cordelia was sitting on the couch opposite Fred and Gunn trying to keep the tears at bay as best she could, but a few somehow still managed to slip through. Out of the entire group only Anya seemed to not have a care in the world as she sat in one of the chairs with the comics spread out in front of her.  
  
Back at the front door both Buffy and Xander stood as still as statues, unsure of what to do next. At first they had both been elated at the sight of their old friend. But then the memories of what she had done had come flooding back into their minds and even though they had fought months earlier Buffy could have sworn that she still had a few bruises from the fight between them. Dawn and Billy however were having no such internal debate. "Come on Xander let's go.we're already late.oh hi Willow," Billy said with a smile as he came up behind Dawn and spotted Willow standing outside the door with an extremely nervous look on her face. Instantly Buffy turned to face him with both an accusing and a questioning look on her face.  
  
"Wait.you knew.how.," Buffy sputtered out as she grabbed Billy's arm and unintentionally began to squeeze.  
  
"Buffy.let go," Dawn said as she tried to pry Buffy's fingers off of Billy's arm after she saw the look of discomfort on his face turn to a look of increasing pain.  
  
"Sorry.now answer me how.," Buffy said letting go of Billy's arm with a repentant smile before she glared again at the young man.  
  
"We kind of bumped into them yesterday at school," Dawn said nervously as she waited for the screaming to start, but it never came.  
  
"What.why didn't you tell me," Buffy said trying to reign in her anger and disbelief before they got out of control.  
  
"We asked them not to.we didn't think you guys wanted to see us yet.especially.uh forget it," Willow said as she stepped inside the house and Xander hesitantly let her pass before he stepped out of the door, pulling Dawn and Billy with him.  
  
"Willow.why.you left.why did you leave Giles.and the coven," Buffy said as Cordelia and Angel came to see what the confusion at the door was all about. Angel just stood in almost complete shock, while Cordelia was looking at Willow as if she had just been punched in the stomach.  
  
"It's a really long story.are you okay Cordelia.," Willow said sheepishly before she noticed that Cordelia was looking at her strangely and she put her hand on Cordelia's shoulder, feeling the former cheerleader slightly shrink back at her touch. "Really.I'm fine.you don't have to be scared of me," Willow said after bringing her hand back down to her side and staring at the floor.  
  
"Fine.but you better tell one hell of a story," Cordelia said angrily as she turned and stormed off into the living room with Angel next and Buffy making sure that Willow was in front of her.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
After leaving Willow in the hotel room Spike decided that he would indeed go to The Bronze, but he wouldn't do it like a normal human. He still didn't feel completely human, and being back in Sunnydale only heightened that feeling, so he ended up taking the back alleys and streets as he had many times before. After a few minutes he found himself standing in front of the club. "Hmpf.at least it's still standing," Spike thought with a chuckle as he stared up at the building. After taking a few seconds to make sure that there wasn't anything wrong with the building as far as he could see Spike went around back behind the club and stared up at one of the windows. "Wonder if they still leave it unlocked," Spike said softly with a smile on his face as she piled a few trash cans on top of each other before starting to climb up. He had discovered the existence of the window one night when he had been unable to get back to his crypt fast enough and to find other accommodations. Ever since then he had been sneaking in and pilfering things like cigarettes and various liquors, with for some reason the club owner's not seeming to mind.  
  
"I love this town," Spike said gleefully as he found that the window was still unlocked and after pushing it open slightly he wriggled inside. What he had forgotten however was that the drop inside from the window was a little farther than he thought. "Oh fuck.," Spike howled as he noticed the difference in height and fell to the cold floor below.  
  
After taking a few minutes to make sure that nothing was broken, except maybe his pride, Spike stood up and made his way over to the bar. "She'll never accept me.after what I did...should just be happy to be alive," Spike thought ruefully as he took a large bottle of Jack Daniels off of the shelf and set it on the bar. With a smirk he located the shot glasses and took a few seconds to choose the cleanest one of the bunch before he spun off the cap and poured himself a shot.  
  
"Here's to unexpected changes.," Spike said with a smile, raising his shot glass in mock salute before he brought the glass to his lips, threw his head back and felt the liquid pour down his throat. "That hit the spot.," Spike thought with a smile as he poured himself another shot and drank it down. It was then that he noticed that his hand that was holding the bottle was beginning to tremble. Little tremors at first but then the tremors started to grow and move up his arm. "Shit.not again," Spike growled before he dropped the bottle and collapsed to the ground in violent convulsions, managing to pick up a few new wounds as he did so.  
  
* * * * * * * * * Over the course of the next few hours Willow had tried her best to explain what had happened to her since she had left Sunnydale with Giles. She had made sure to leave out a few spare details, like the ones about ever meeting Spike and his being human and the whole matter of Faith and Wesley's marriage. She didn't think they were ready for those juicy details yet. By the time she had finished her altered story is was just after noon and Giles had just arrived with tons of questions of his own, mainly having to do with exactly what Willow knew of the Council's plans.  
  
"So you know the Council's plans then," Giles whispered hoarsely to Willow after he had almost literally pulled her into the backyard, saying that he needed to talk to Willow alone and using a very flimsy excuse as to the reason why.  
  
"You mean do I know that they're not going to do anything.just let the vamps and demons come and do whatever they please.yeah I know.that's why I had to leave and.never mind," Willow said a bit angrily as she at first stared at the flowers in Buffy's garden before she turned and glared at the old Watcher.  
  
"Well the Council didn't decide to do nothing.they only decided that further research was warranted before they would commit themselves here in Sunnydale," Giles said nervously cleaning his glasses.  
  
"Yeah and meanwhile if a few of my friends get killed it's no water off their backs," Willow said angrily before she turned and stomped off back towards the door, only to stop a few feet later as Buffy came out of the house with something shiny in her hand.  
  
"Hey Willow, Faith had this in one of her pockets.Cordy thinks she stole it but Dawn said it was hers.what do you think," Buffy said as she held up the ring, that she had found earlier, so that both Giles and Willow could see.  
  
"It's certainly a beautiful ring.but I don't remember Faith ever caring much for things such as this.but Faith stealing it and then pawning it would definitely be a possibility that we should probably look into," Giles said as he put his glasses back on and scrunched his nose up as he held Buffy's hand up with one hand while using the index finger of his other hand to slowly move the ring around in Buffy's palm.  
  
"It's Faith's ring and no she didn't steal it and no don't ask me how I know because I'm sorry but I can't tell you that.now give it to me," Willow said as she felt her blood pressure rise. Buffy and Giles could only stare on in amazement and a little bit of fear as Willow grabbed the ring out of Buffy's palm and took off into the house without another word.  
  
"Wonder what that was all about.," Buffy said with a frown as she put her hand back into her pocket and looked up at Giles for a bit before she turned her gaze back towards the house.  
  
"I don't know.I surmise that Willow did not tell us everything.I believe that Willow is keeping back a rather large piece of this puzzle and isn't ready to give it to us just yet.and I believe that it would be best if we were to figure out what that piece was.the sooner the better," Giles said with a frown on his face before he shook his head.  
  
"Agreed.so what do I do.," Buffy said nodding her head slightly as she stood by Giles and watched Willow get to the stairs before running up them.  
  
After getting to the top of the stairs Willow quickly dashed to Buffy's room and slipped inside without a word to Gunn as she passed him in the hall. Her voice caught in her throat as she saw Faith lying in Buffy's bed. Her hair had dried after the shower but Faith still resembled a drowned rat, with her eyes seemingly staring off aimlessly into empty space, with the covers pulled up tightly around her. "Faith.," Willow said almost in a whisper before she found her voice. Faith didn't seem to move a muscle at the words, with the only sign of her still being alive was the fact that Willow could see Faith's breath making a few stray strands of hair move around. "I got back you're ring.," Willow said sheepishly as she walked over to Faith and held the ring out for merely a second or two before Faith's hand shot out and grabbed the ring before pulling her hand back. Almost reflexively Faith slipped the ring back onto the correct finger, all before she turned over away from Willow.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
It was several hours later before Spike finally managed to pull himself off of the cold and now sticky floor. Upon sitting up he noticed the now bleeding scratches on his arm. "Fuck.," Spike thought angrily as he spat out some blood. Looking around he noticed the broken bottle and a small pool of bright red blood. "Better get out of here before someone finds me like this.can't go to jail.don't exist after all," Spike said with a sickly smile as he pulled himself to his feet and staggered off towards the door. Finding it locked he resorted to smashing one of the windows and almost falling out of the building, thinking that his needing to get out of the building was more important than some broken glass. And with a final look back he stumbled off almost blindly into the alleys.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Angel stayed in the basement until the sun slipped beneath the horizon. He had been waiting to inspect the clothes with Wesley's blood on them all day after he had noticed an odd smell emanating from them. A smell that was most decidedly not human. Buffy, Gunn come with me," Angel said as he got to the top of the stairs and headed towards the backyard. He had told Buffy to stash the blood soaked clothes in the garage all wrapped up in the rug that Angel had originally placed Faith on. They had no more than turned the knob when a rather pungent odor struck them.  
  
"Whoa..what is that smell," Gunn said scrunching his face up and waving his hand in front of his face as Buffy felt like throwing up.  
  
"I don't know.but whatever it is it's not Wes's blood," Angel said scowling as he entered the garage and retrieved the bloody bundle.  
  
"What's that.," Gunn asked as he pointed to a strange almost glowing blue ooze that seemed to be dripping out of the bottom of the bundle.  
  
"Whatever it is it smells horribly," Buffy said holding her nose and making a sickly face as she shook her head to try and alleviate the smell.  
  
"Well here we go," Angel said as he set the bundle on the ground near the tree in the backyard and slowly began to unwrap it.  
  
"Hey.where's the blood.," Gunn said with a thoroughly confused look on his face as he picked up a stick and began to poke around in the clothes, searching for any sign of red, but he found nothing.  
  
"All Wesley's blood is gone," Buffy said scowling as she slowly took a few steps back to get away from the offensive odor in front of her.  
  
"If it was even there in the first place.something stinks around here and I don't mean these clothes.it's almost as if.," Angel said deeply in thought.  
  
"As if what.," Gunn said fighting through the stench to come up next to Angel.  
  
"This never was Wesley's blood," Angel said with as he scratched his chin in even deeper thought.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
It was several hours later before Buffy got off work and could patrol. For some reason she decided to patrol his cemetery first. She knew that he wasn't there but for the past few days she had been getting unnerving feelings in the pit of her stomach, almost as if someone was trying to tell her something.  
  
"Took you long enough.," Angel said as he stood up and hopped off of a rather large tombstone.  
  
"Sorry but Ms. Bigsby was a real bitch tonight.," Buffy said with a sly smile as she pulled a stake from her back pocket.  
  
"You sound just like him you know," Angel said grinning slightly and shaking his head in disbelief.  
  
"Who," Buffy said with a meek smile knowing full well that Angel meant Spike, the vampire that had haunted her dreams for over three months now.  
  
"You know who I.wait.someone's coming," Angel started to say with a smile before it drained from his face and was replaced by the classic Angel scowl. Angel and Buffy crouched behind a large tombstone and waited for whoever it was to make themselves known. But neither was prepared for who they saw. For out of the shadows strode a very sad looking Spike. "Spike," Angel growled as he jumped out from behind the tombstone, with Buffy close behind him. Oblivious to her presence Spike just grinned and made a very sloppy salute.  
  
"Peaches.s-so nice to s-see you.you again," Spike said shaking his head to clear the stars.  
  
"You're drunk.," Angel said angrily as he glared at Spike, who now seemed to be having trouble standing upright.  
  
"I am.well fuck I guess I am.guess I just can't handle the booze like I used to," Spike said with a funny wave before he lost his balance and fell unceremoniously to the ground as a few sprinkles started to fall.  
  
"You never could," Buffy said coldly as she stepped from behind Angel and crossed her arms. There in front of her was the vampire that had loved and hurt her so dearly, completely plastered and babbling.  
  
"Huh.Slay.Buffy.what are you.," Spike said quickly at first but slowing down as he seemed to restore some semblance of control over his body.  
  
"So.you're back.," Buffy said as she almost hid behind Angel, wearing an uncaring mask on her face as she looked down at Spike, who now was trying to stand.  
  
"Looks that way pet.what you think I wouldn't come back.," Spike said as he smiled and used a tombstone to pull himself back to his feet.  
  
"A girl can dream.," Buffy said almost nonchalantly as she began to twirl the stake around with her fingers.  
  
"You don't mean that.do ya.," Spike sputtered out as he took a few precarious steps towards Angel and Buffy.  
  
"Stay back William.," Angel started to say before his anger overtook him and he sank his fist into Spike's stomach, sending Spike stumbling backwards before Buffy joined in.  
  
"How dare you come back here after what you did.," Buffy screamed as she grabbed Spike's left arm, that he had stuck out to try and ward off another attack, and sharply twisted it, taking great pride as she heard the snapping of bones and Spike howl in pain.  
  
"Fuck," Spike growled as he grabbed Buffy by the shoulder with his right hand and tried to get her to release his mangled arm. The next few hours or minutes, as Spike quickly lost track of time, consisted mainly of Buffy and Angel taking out all of their anger and pent up frustration out on Spike, with him not even lifting a finger in his defense. When it was all over Spike could only stand by leaning heavily against a tombstone, and he could only barely see as he had one eye that had swelled shut and blood was running into the other. "That.all.you.got.," Spike mumbled through a split lip. "Would it matter if I said I was sorry because I am.more than you could ever know.but I've changed.I really have," Spike sputtered out as he staggered wildly towards Buffy, who stood catching her breath near an open grave.  
  
"Fuck you William," Buffy said as she grabbed his injured arm and flipped him over her shoulder and aimed right enough so that he landed painfully at the bottom of the open grave.  
  
"Buffy.," Angel began to say before being silenced by an icy glare from Buffy.  
  
"Now ask me again why I could never love you.you're beneath me.William," Buffy said with a proud and angry smile as she glared down at Spike before she stormed off, with a now uneasy Angel in tow.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
By the time Spike was able to garner up enough strength to gingerly climb out of the grave the rain had gone from a mere mist to almost a torrential downpour. But the rain mattered little to Spike, as he slowly and painfully pulled his broken and battered body out of the grave. The pain in his chest only increased when several cloaked figures appeared in front of him. "Who the.fuck are you.," Spike said spitting out some blood and forcing himself to look upward. But he could never have been prepared for the face that he now looked up into. "Ah fuck.Dru.," Spike moaned painfully before the darkness overtook him and he collapsed to the ground, his blood mingling with the ever increasing puddles of rain.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
Willow was about to send Dawn up to bed when Angel and Buffy came through the front door, shaking off as much water as they could. Sensing that something was wrong Willow rushed up to meet them. "Good night of patrolling," she asked dreading the answer. "Yep.even saw Spike to.we had a little chat," Buffy said with a smile that chilled the blood in Willow's veins.  
  
"Where is he.where's Spike," Dawn said fearfully as she came up next to Willow.  
  
"In the grave where he belongs.," Buffy said with a smile as she began to walk past Willow, but was stopped when Willow grabbed her arm and would not let her pass.  
  
"For your sake he'd better not be dead.now where the fuck is he," Willow said angrily as she glared at Buffy and refused to let go as she dug her fingernails into Buffy's arm.  
  
"He's not.hey.own.that hurts.Will.let go," Buffy said with a pained and fearful look on her face as Angel started to come to her defense.  
  
"Stay away from me Angelus.unless you want to die.now where exactly is Spike," Willow said angrily as she cast Angel a very angry glare.  
  
"He's in his cemetery.but a little worse for wear.," Buffy said as she was finally able to wrench her arm away from Willow, but the beginnings of a nasty bruise were already apparent on her smooth skin.  
  
"What was that for Willow," Angel said with his voice tinged with worry about Buffy.  
  
"But Buffy.how could you.he.he.," Dawn tried to say before being stopped by a sudden rush of tears.  
  
"Why are you crying.he's a soulless evil monster.," Buffy started to say angrily before Dawn angrily summoned up all her strength and slapped her across the face, a move that caught Buffy completely by surprise and sent her stumbling back into Angel.  
  
"Dawn.what the hell," Angel growled as he glared up at Dawn, who by this time was now at the top of the stairs.  
  
"He's not an evil monster.he's alive.human.he loves you," Dawn screamed before she tore off towards her room, leaving a stunned Angel and Buffy to try and process what she had said.  
  
"What.Spike's.human," Buffy said with a very confused look on her face as she turned back to Willow.  
  
"Yep.after he left Sunnydale that night he went and got his soul back.but like most of Spike's plan it didn't go exactly how he had envisioned it.he got more than just his soul back.he got his humanity back as well.right now he's just as human as you are Buffy," Willow said angrily glaring at Buffy and Angel.  
  
"But we.he.I," Buffy stammered as she stared openmouthed at the floor.  
  
"He did smell differently.," Angel said his mind deep in thought.  
  
"And we.oh God.," Buffy moaned with a horrified look on her face before she threw the door open and tore off into the night, with a worried Angel close behind her.  
  
It only took them half the time to get back to his cemetery that it had taken them to get to it but the time meant nothing to Buffy. She had to know.was Spike human like Dawn said.or was he still a vampire. Buffy didn't even want to think of him as a human because that would mean that, "We probably killed him," was the thought that went rebounding through Buffy's mind as they approached the place where the fight had taken place only minutes earlier.  
  
"Hello slayer.and my lovely Angelus.so nice to see you to," a laughing voice said from beneath a heavy hood.  
  
"Oh no.Dru," Angel said slipping into his game face and getting ready for a fight, that never ended up coming.  
  
"What do you want Dru.where's Spike.," Buffy shouted to be heard over the clap of thunder.  
  
"Don't worry he's where he should be.and where you shall soon be Angelus.but don't fret.he's still human.for now," Dru said with a haughty laugh before a demon stepped up next to her and then before Angel or Buffy could do anything the two dematerialized into thin air.  
  
"No.," Buffy yelled angrily as she threw herself towards Dru, but wound up only crashing into the ground before rising to her knees as tears began to spring to her eyes. "What have I done.Angel.what did we do.he loves me and I.I.love.him," Buffy spit out as sobs began to wrack her body, the tears now coming out unhindered.  
  
"Buffy.," Angel said feeling as if his heart would break in his chest at that moment if it could. Without another word he kneeled down and held a sobbing Buffy close as the rain mercilessly beat down on them.  
  
END OF CHAPTER 13 


	14. Chapter 14

OF THINGS TO COME  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the ones that I created.  
  
Chapter 14  
  
It was nearly dawn before Angel and Buffy returned home, with Angel almost having to carry Buffy, who seemed to not be able to put one foot in front of the other. They stormed inside quickly, so quickly that Cordelia didn't even have time to finish asking where they had been before they were by her and headed downstairs. Willow and Giles were the first to follow Angel downstairs.  
  
"Where's Spike.," Willow said hesitantly as she reached the bottom step and had to slightly move aside lest Giles knock her down.  
  
"In trouble.like usual," Angel said frowning as he looked back and forth between Giles and Willow.  
  
"Angel," Willow said angrily as she glared at him.  
  
"Sorry.Willow.we didn't know," Angel said sadly as he set Buffy down in one of the small chairs in the basement.  
  
"You should have.," Willow muttered angrily as she crossed her arms and glared at Angel.  
  
"So where is he.," Giles said frowning as he stepped in between Angel and Willow, sensing the growing tension in the air. But Buffy broke the tension instead.  
  
"Dru has him.and it's my fault," Buffy said with tears sliding down her face as she hung her head.  
  
"Drusilla.here.this is bad news.bad news indeed," Giles said nervously as he took a handkerchief out of his pocket and cleaned his glasses.  
  
"So what now.where do we go from here," Buffy said with her voice faltering slightly as she sighed.  
  
"Whoa.déjà vu.," Willow said with a cross between a smile and a frown as she glanced warily at Giles.  
  
"We need to find out what she wants.as I highly doubt that Drusilla could have done all of this by herself.there's someone else behind it all," Giles said nervously shaking his head before he sitting down on one of the steps and softly muttering to himself.  
  
"And with Faith.like she is.we're down one slayer," Willow said sadly as she shook her head and then sat down on the step next to Giles, who barely noticed her joining him on the step.  
  
"Maybe not.," Angel said as she squatted down next to Buffy and brushed a bit of hair off of her face.  
  
"What.what do you mean," Willow said with a confused frown on her face.  
  
"I don't think Wesley's dead.," Angel said looking grimly over at Giles and Willow, who eyed him with confused looks on their faces.  
  
"B-But you said there was blood.and Faith she.," Willow stammered out as she tried to stretch her mind around what Angel was now hinting at.  
  
"It's only a working theory.," Angel said with a sigh as he sat down next to Buffy and tried to fall asleep.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Elsewhere the day dawned on another large mound of dust that used to be a group of vampires. They had started out the night so full of vim and vigor, intent on finding and capturing the witch, and thus honoring their new queen. But instead they had failed, and as such had received a harsh but deserved punishment. They had been tied to stakes and abandoned to the oncoming sun.  
  
"Such a waste.," a rather large demon growled as it shook its head is dismay as it remembered the sight of the vampires pleading and begging for their undead lives before being swallowed up by the flames.  
  
"Oh come now Zary.they were bad boys and girls and they got what they deserved," Dru said as first with a straight face but then ending it with a happy smile.  
  
"My name is Zarathos.not Zary.do not make that mistake again bitch.," Zarathos growled angrily as he glared at Dru.  
  
"Ooh I got the big bad angry.bad me.," Dru said completely lost in her own make believe world. To this Zarathos could only sigh and shake his head. His hatred for the side of light was what had brought him and Drusilla together, with many a vampire of his killed by the slayers. He had been searching for a way to exact his revenge on the slayers for years, and in meeting Drusilla he had found someone that who's hatred for the slayers apparently equaled his own.  
  
"Where are the prisoners," Zarathos said to a nearby demon who cowered in fear before him.  
  
"The watcher and the vam.ex-vampire are in the cell my lord," the demon said through chattering teeth as it cautiously took a step back and away from its lord.  
  
"Bring them in front of me.I want to know why they are so important to my queen.I want to judge them for myself," Zarathos said casting Drusilla, who was now muttering something about her dolly being a very bad girl and needing to be punished, a dispassionate look.  
  
"Of course my lord," the demon said nervously before scurrying off as fast as its four legs would take it.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Ah man.my head," Spike muttered out loud as he brought a hand up to his temple, hoping it would lessen the splitting pain he felt.  
  
"That's what you get for getting drunk Spike," a voice called out from the darkness as Spike's eyes fluttered open at the sound. He could not determine exactly where he was but what he could tell was that he was lying on a cold stone floor and he could hear a great deal of water dripping.  
  
"Who.who.," Spike said a little too loudly at first as he again felt spires of pain run through his head.  
  
"They must have really done a number on you.," the voice said with a small laugh as Spike angrily tried to sit up, but his body did not respond; only send spasms of pain throughout his body.  
  
"Wesley.that you," Spike gasped out as he discovered that with every breath came an array of pain shooting through his chest.  
  
"So your brain isn't as addled as I thought.," Wesley said as he lit a small match and held it up to his face.  
  
"Very funny.where the hell have you been.Red got nervous when you and Faith didn't come back," Spike said looking over at Wesley. Had Spike the strength to do more than just speak he would have been on his feet in seconds, tirelessly searching through the darkness for a way out.  
  
"We went out on patrol and ran into Angel and Conner.," Wesley said with a sigh before being interrupted by Spike.  
  
"Who's Conner," Spike asked as he tried to rack his brain for anyone named Conner. "Well there was that poof in Reno that tried to bilk us out of a thousand dollars..," Spike thought with a smile as he remembered what they had done to the man. But nothing could have prepared him for Wesley's response.  
  
"Conner is Angel and Darla's son," Wesley said as he walked over and sat down next to Spike, who by now was looking at him as if he had just told him that pigs could now fly.  
  
"You serious.but how.I mean if vampires could.then Buffy and I.," Spike mumbled as his thoughts played tennis in his head, going back and forth from one crazy idea to the next, and finally back again.  
  
"I don't know the specifics.but sufficed to say it happened and now Conner's here," Wesley said with a sigh and a small laugh as he shook his head before the light from the match went out.  
  
"Peaches.a father.never thought I'd see that," Spike started to say with a small laugh but stopped when the pain became too much.  
  
"Darla had a hard time with it all.but once Conner was born Angel really took to the lad.I have to confess that it was great having Conner around," Wesley said with a small smile as he broke off another match and lit it.  
  
"So where is Darla anyway.doubt she'd let Peaches raise her kid.but then again she never was the motherly type.that was Dru," Spike said with a small sigh as his mind drifted back to the days when he, Angel, Drusilla, and Darla had terrorized Europe and later America.  
  
"She's dead.for good this time," Wesley said with a little bit of happiness in his voice.  
  
"So who finally got the old bitch.you.," Spike said as a smile crossed his face. Even though he had gone round the world more than once with Darla he had never liked her very much, she was always to controlling and uptight for his liking.  
  
"If only.no she staked herself actually," Wesley said with a happy smile as he noticed the look of shock and confusion on Spike's face. "She was having trouble giving birth.so as a last resort she.well.staked herself," Wesley said slowly nodding his head.  
  
"But how'd the kid.," Spike said going on to his next confusing and crazy thought.  
  
"It's a long story.one best left for another time.but sufficed to say my time with Angel in Los Angeles is officially at an end," Wesley said with a touch of sadness in his voice.  
  
"Well at least you didn't get one of those bloody watches for leaving like most poof's do.you got your own little.," Spike said with a teeth barring grin before a glare from Wesley stopped him.  
  
"I got lucky.in more ways than one," Wesley said at first with a stern look on his face but then it turned to a smile.  
  
"So who's responsible for all this," Wesley asked as he nodded towards Spike's bruised and battered body.  
  
"Buffy and Peaches.did a damn fine job to," Spike said smiling as best he could before wincing in pain. "How about you.get the shit kicked out of you to.," Spike said eyeing Wesley warily with his one good eye as the second match burnt out.  
  
"Fortunately for me they want me alive, but that didn't stop a rather ugly demon from giving me a good beating.," Wesley said wincing in pain as he turned too sharply.  
  
"And I guess I'm the lucky fuck that they're going to kill," Spike said with a slightly angry smirk.  
  
"I believe so.but I don't intend on being here much longer.you see I've noticed that the guard that always comes and checks on me is a druango demon, and while their armor is much to strong for any weapon to penetrate their necks do snap rather easily," Wesley said with a smile after he heard a small laugh from Spike.  
  
"And then we get the hell out of here.I'll bet Faith's missing you something fierce.," Spike said as he succeeded in his attempts to finally sit up.  
  
"Yes.I just hope nothing bad has happened to her," Wesley said with a look of worry and concern on his face before he went silent.  
  
"She can handle herself.besides Peaches and his kid were with her right.she'll be fine," Spike said as he tried to look around but only saw darkness.  
  
"But with her temper.," Wesley said with at first a slightly fearful look on his face that in the end changed to a sly smile. "So what do we do.," Spike started to say before a sound from outside of the cell silenced him. "Who's there.," Spike said as he felt Wesley step over him and position himself between Spike and the door.  
  
"On your feet humans.my lord awaits," a loud and angry voice growled from outside the cell. And seconds later the sound of keys wrangling and fitting into a lock filtered into the cell. With a loud squeaking noise the door to the cell flew open and brought with it the light from a torch out in the passageway. "Come out.slowly.and don't try anything," the druango demon said with an angry sneer as it snorted.  
  
"You know you really should get some help with that.must be allergies," Spike said with a smile before the demon angrily stormed into the cell and pulled him to his feet. But upon entering the cell the druango demon also turned its back on Wesley, a mistake that would prove both unfortunate and fatal.  
  
Seizing the opportunity provided him Wesley launched himself onto the demons back, keeping himself in place by holding onto two of the many horns that ran along the demons sides. The fight, although fierce, didn't last very long. It mostly consisted of Wesley holding on for dear life while Spike did what he could to help and trip the demon up. But having one broken arm and probably a few broken ribs and only one eye to use didn't make Spike's job any easier. But finally Spike was able to position himself directly in front of the demons path and it, being to busy trying to get Wesley off of its back, never noticed Spike on the ground. The demon stormed ahead and tripped over Spike, which sent the demon and Wesley flying to the floor of the cell. But as Wesley began his aerial descent he was able to keep hold of one of the horns and pull with all his might plus the leverage of him dropping to the floor, the resulting force was enough to snap the demons neck.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
Ever since the meeting in the basement Buffy had pulled Willow aside and almost forced her old friend to reveal everything that had happened since she had fled England and the coven. Buffy had purposely selected the place for their discussion as the front porch, telling everyone else that was assembled at the house to stay inside as she wanted to speak to Willow in private. Most of those gathered had agreed with her readily enough, but Giles had been a bit difficult as he at first stubbornly refused to be excluded from the talk. But Buffy had finally been able to get him to agree when she agreed to discuss everything that Willow told her with him later.  
  
"I have so many questions.where to start.," Buffy said almost to herself as she began pacing back and forth.  
  
"Why don't you just ask the question that you've wanted to ask for some time now," Willow said with a smile as she sat down on the top step.  
  
"How Spike got his soul back.," Buffy murmured softly to herself as she turned and sat down beside Willow.  
  
"Well after he.he.he went to Africa like I said before and had to pass these tests.nasty ones from what he told me.in one he had to fight this guy who's fists were on fire.he still has some scars from that battle.and then there was the one with the bugs," Willow said nervously at first but then seeming to gain confidence she turned and looked Buffy in the eye as she said the middle part before a grossed out look came upon her face for the last part.  
  
"Bugs.," Buffy said with almost the same look on her face.  
  
"Yeah.he said he could feel them crawling all over him.that was all before they crawled inside of him.he said he could hear them chewing through him.he doesn't like to talk about it," Willow said as a shiver went through her body as she remembered how long it had taken Spike to reveal that part of the trial and how very uncomfortable he had been in finally telling it to.  
  
"So he passed the tests and then what.poof.and he was human.just like that.," Buffy said with a confused frown on her face as she tried to take in all of what Willow was saying.  
  
"Well remember when I said Spike's plan didn't go exactly how he'd expected it to.he actually went over there to get the chip out.to see if it was the chip that was keeping him from harming anyone or if he really had changed.that and he wanted to be the man you deserved," Willow said as she first looked at Buffy but then had to turn away.  
  
"He.he.said that.," Buffy said almost not believing what she was hearing.  
  
"Well after he had passed the trials he told the demon that he wanted to give the slayer what she deserved.and the demon made him human.but with a few extras thrown in," Willow said turning back to Buffy with a big smile on her face.  
  
"A few extras.," Buffy said with a confused but hopeful look on her face.  
  
"I don't know if you'd call them extras exactly.but he's pretty strong.he lifted this bus driver up off of the floor by his collar.but.," Willow said smirking at the first part but then her face became very sad as she turned her eyes to a small crack in the steps.  
  
"But.but what Will.tell me.I have to know.," Buffy said putting a hand on Willows shoulder, thankful that she didn't pull away, as a tear began to form in her eye.  
  
"Remember when Angel got his soul you said that he'd get.attacks.that resembled seizures.his soul making him pay for what he'd done during his un- life as a vampire," Willow said as she kept looking away as a tear came to her eye as the memories of what Spike had been through since she had found him. The first time he had started convulsing she had feared for his life, but finally the attack abated and he was alright again, at least until the next attack.  
  
"Yeah.it was horrible seeing him like that.," Buffy said as a tear slid down her cheek as she remembered what Angel had gone through and concluded that Spike was going through much the same thing, but without her there to help him.  
  
"And he's been having attacks sporadically ever since, the worst two were about the two slayers that he killed.there was blood all over.I thought he was going to die.but they've started to happen less often and not be as violent.so maybe he's coming out of them," Willow said slightly shaking her head but still not looking back.  
  
"So that's all then.the strength and the convulsions.," Buffy said letting her voice trail off as another tear slid down her face. She had to summon up all of her slayer strength to keep from breaking down at the thought of all Spike had gone through for her.  
  
"Other than that.he's pretty much just like you.only male," Willow said with a sigh as she turned back towards Buffy.  
  
"We have to find him.before Dru does anything to him," Buffy said sternly as she stood up suddenly and headed indoors.  
  
Even though they had everyone but Angel, Dawn, Billy, and Xander out looking for Spike they did find one clue as to his whereabouts. Someone had alerted the police to the broken window at The Bronze and any doubt on who had broken the window was soon over. The rest of the day though went by without them finding any trace of him.with the one highlight for Buffy being when Willow had taken her back to the hotel and let her see the few items that Spike possessed. After that Buffy had been more resolved then ever to find Spike and in her words.bring him back to where he belongs.bring him home.with her and Dawn.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
While Buffy and the others spent the day searching above the streets Wesley and Spike spent the day trudging through the sewers, desperately trying to outrun and avoid the minions that Zarathos had sent after them. Several times along the way they had been forced to stop when Spike had sworn that he couldn't go on any further as the pain in his chest was too much. But after a little pep talk from Wesley that included a few insults Spike had reluctantly agreed to press on.  
  
"Come on Spike.we're almost there," Wesley said with a desperate tone to his voice that Spike didn't particularly like.  
  
"Almost where.feels like we've been going around in fucking circles for hours," Spike growled angrily before letting out a yelp of pain as his broken arm smacked into a pipe.  
  
"We just might be.I still don't have any idea where we are.," Wesley said with a frown as he helped Spike down onto a nearby ledge so that they each could rest for a second.  
  
"Then why don't we just find a manhole and get the hell out of here.," Spike growled angrily as he brushed a rat away from sniffing at his arm.  
  
"Well as I said I don't know where we are.it could be worse up there.," Wesley said with a frown as he took off his glasses and reached into his pocket for his handkerchief.  
  
"Anywhere would be better than here," Spike said with a sigh as he began to look around for a manhole.  
  
"Alright.will that one do.," Wesley said slightly angry as he discovered that he had lost his handkerchief.  
  
"Fine.let's go before they catch up.," Spike said as he tried to hobble over to the manhole but almost fell but saved himself by grabbing onto an overhead pipe.  
  
"I think that I should do it.you wait here," Wesley said with a nervous sigh as he walked over and began climbing the small ladder that led up to the manhole. "Well here goes nothing.," Wesley said with a frown as he threw all his weight against the manhole cover and was relieved as the cover began to move.  
  
"Hurry up.," Spike said impatiently as he watched Wesley finally force the manhole cover up and out of its hole, letting the sun shine down unhindered.  
  
"Well there's no turning back now.," Wesley said as he finished climbing out of the sewer and turned to help Spike, who gingerly began to climb the ladder.  
  
"So where are we.," Spike said with a painful frown as he exited the sewers and helped Wesley put the manhole cover back where it belonged.  
  
"Let's see.," Wesley said with a small sigh as he turned and looked around, putting a dirt encrusted hand above his eyes so as to block out the sun.  
  
"Hey.who're...Wes.," a voice shouted from behind Wesley causing him to spin around. His heart skipped a beat when he saw Gunn and Fred running towards him.  
  
"Thank you.," Wesley said sighing heavily before he turned and smiled at Spike.  
  
"Thank.where are we.," Spike said angrily squinting his eyes and staring at the two figures running towards him. Much to his relief a very happy and welcome voice answered him.  
  
"You're home.," the voice, one that Spike instantly recognized but didn't expect, said before Spike spun around slowly to see Buffy, teary eyed and all, smiling down at him.  
  
END OF CHAPTER 14 


	15. Chapter 15

OF THINGS TO COME  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the ones that I created.  
  
Chapter 15  
  
Faith heard the commotion outside but tuned it out as it meant nothing to her, or so she thought. Ever since Buffy had run her through the shower and forced her to put on some of her clothes Faith had barely moved from her spot on the bed. The only non bathroom exception to this rule being when Willow had entered and given back the one symbol that she had left of the man that she discovered meant the world to her. So now she lay in Buffy's bed and drifted in and out of sleep, replaying the horrific scene in her head. Again and again she saw herself drive the stake into his chest, and then his death, at her hands. All day her stomach had been bothering her, forcing her to make more bathroom runs that she had wanted to.  
  
She heard the shower running and raised voices downstairs thanks to her super slayer hearing. "What are they so damn happy about," Faith thought with a scowl on her face before putting a hand on her now very upset stomach. When the shower stopped running she thought almost nothing of it. "Probably Buffy.or Dawn," Faith thought as she turned over in and bed and tried to calm her now queasy stomach down. Suddenly the door opened and she knew that she was no longer alone in the room. "I said stay.W...We.Wes.," Faith said as the words died on her lips. Her eyes first grew large before filling with tears as she slowly and gingerly picked herself up from the bed and cautiously took a step towards the figure in the doorway, clad only in a borrowed pair of sweatpants.  
  
"Faith.what's.," Wesley said with a very concerned look on his face as he took a step into the room and shut the door behind him. Before he could utter another word Faith's knees buckled and she started to fall forward. "Faith," Wesley said as he rushed over and caught her just in time.  
  
"Y-You're.really.here.," Faith sputtered out through quivering lips. She cautiously brought a hand up and placed it over his heart, afraid that she would find it to be still. But relief flooded through her body as she felt the warmth of his skin and the quick but steady beating of his heart. Before she could say anything in her defense Wesley lifted her up into his arms and carried her back to the bed, setting her down gently and climbing in beside her, just as she began sobbing uncontrollably.  
  
"It's okay.I'm here.," Wesley said as tears sprang to his eyes before Faith looped her arms around him and held him so tightly that Wesley was starting to find it kind of hard to breathe, but when he thought about saying something the look on Faith's face changed his mind.  
  
"But.I.you.how.," Faith spat out through the tears with a confused look on her face as she looked up into Wesley's eyes, now also brimming with tears.  
  
"It wasn't me.one of them knocked me out and I've been held underground all this time," Wesley said as tears slid down his face before he continued, "But that's all over now.we're together again."  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
While Faith and Wesley were getting reacquainted upstairs Spike had been rushed into the living room and put on the couch, after a blanket had been thrown over it. Xander stood nearby, almost as if keeping guard against Spike doing anything while Conner, Buffy, and Angel began to tend to Spike's wounds. Fred and Gunn meanwhile sat in nearby chairs, both keeping an eye on the stairs and wondering why Wesley had been so intent on seeing Faith.  
  
"Spike.are you alright.," Willow said meekly as she kneeled down beside Spike with a shy and sorry smile on her face.  
  
"Do I bloody look alright.," Spike growled as he glared at Willow with an angry frown on his face. "Why didn't you tell her.," Spike said with a sigh as he looked away.  
  
"You didn't want her to know until you were ready right.I thought I was doing what you wanted," Willow said slightly angry.  
  
"Well you could have at least told them not to use me as a punching bag," Spike said angrily but kept his voice low enough so as to try and keep the conversation private.  
  
"But then I would have had to tell them everything.and I wasn't ready to do that just yet.," Willow said with a serious look on her face before she stood up.  
  
"Hey.," Spike growled angrily as he tried to sit up and reached for Willow, but an angry Xander stepped in the way.  
  
"Stop right there fang face.," Xander said with a determined look on his face.  
  
"Xander stop it.you never learn do you.Spike's human now so he doesn't have fangs anymore," Anya said with a sigh as she shook her head as she walked into the living room.  
  
"But An.," Xander said slightly begging as if he wanted to take a few cheap shots at Spike while he was still injured.  
  
"No Xander Anya's right.Spike's human now and things are going to change.," Buffy said as she entered the room carrying bandages and being followed by Angel who was holding a small bowl of water with a sling thrown over his shoulder.  
  
"But Buff.he.," Xander said defiantly standing up to Buffy as he stepped in front of Spike.  
  
"Xander.you'll scram if you know what's good for you.," Angel said with a serious tone in his voice as he momentarily slipped into his game-face, hoping it'd spook Xander enough for him to leave.  
  
"Uh.yeah.I'll just be.," Xander stammered out meekly as he took a couple of steps back before sitting down in a nearby chair and staring at the floor.  
  
"Good idea.," Buffy said with a smile, trying to calm down as she set the bandages on the table and turned to Spike. She thought after years of being the slayer, seeing only what few before her have ever seen, she would be ready for anything. And truth be told she was, except for the sudden reappearance of the one person that had both caused her great joy and pain all in the span of a few weeks. But all that was behind her now, she was sure of it, Spike was back and was truly a changed man.in every sense of the word.  
  
"So then I take it we're going to try this again.but without all the punching and yelling.and pain," Spike said wincing slightly as a ray of the setting sun hit his bad eye.  
  
"Spike I.I'm sorry I.I didn't.," Buffy sputtered out as she tried to find the right words to apologize.  
  
"Don't be.I'm the one that should be doing the.," Spike started to say while sitting fully up but was stopped by a stern glare from Angel. "What's wrong.you trying to figure out how I could be human and you're still," Spike said with as strong a smile as he could manage before he felt two strong arms pushing him back down.  
  
"We'll get to that later.that is if you two are finished with all your macho antics.," Buffy said with a slightly miffed look on her face as she lightly glared at her two former lovers. As Spike and Angel continued to glare at each other Dawn and Billy walked into the living room.  
  
"We are.aren't we Spike," Angel finally said with an emotionless look on his face as he set the bowl down on the coffee table.  
  
"Of course Peaches.of course.wouldn't want to.ow..hey," Spike started to say with a smile before he felt a shooting pain run through his left arm. "What the hell.," Spike started to say before the shooting pain began again.  
  
"Sit still will you.I need to set this arm or it'll never heal properly," Buffy said as she continued to gingerly move Spike's arm into position before she pulled to long stakes out of her back pocket and began lashing them to his arm with some of the bandages that Angel had set on the coffee table.  
  
"Spike.are you okay.," Dawn said slowly as she walked up next to Angel, who by now was obviously feeling unneeded.  
  
"I've been better Bit.but I'll be right as rain here with big sis looking after me.now that she's not trying to kill me that is," Spike said with a big smile as he looked at Dawn and Billy before Buffy angrily pulled a knot a little to tight on purpose.  
  
"Should we get Uncle Wesley from upstairs.he's been up there a long time," Conner said entering the room with a few more towels before Cordelia turned to him.  
  
"Yes he has.I wonder what he's still doing up there.I would have thought he would have come downstairs by now.what do you think Angel.," Cordelia said with a frown as she lightly patted Conner on the back.  
  
"I think.," Angel began without taking his eyes off of Spike, who seemed to be a very happy patient.  
  
"That we should leave them be.after all they're.," Dawn began with a smile before shutting up after Billy squeezed her hand and gave her a look that seemed to say-shut up.  
  
"They're what.," Fred said with an inquisitive look on her face and was soon joined in the questioning by Gunn.  
  
"Yeah I mean from what you've told me Faith would be the last person that Wes would want to see.and now.," Gunn said with a frown and a slightly confused look on his face.  
  
"Because it's none of your business.not yet anyway.," Willow said without looking anyone in the eye.  
  
"Yeah.they'll talk when they want to.," Spike interjected with a slight nod of his head before a shiver ran through his body as one of Buffy's hands slowly slid underneath his shirt.  
  
"What's with all the they and they're talk.," Xander said with a frown on his face as he slowly lifted his head and cocked it to one side.  
  
"That's for them to know and for you to find out silly," Anya said with a chipper smile on her face, acting as if she were in on some joke.  
  
"Fine.I'm going to ask them.," Gunn said with a sigh as he stood up and turned towards the stairs. "Wes.Faith.," Gunn stammered out as everyone turned to see Wesley, now also wearing a shirt after retrieving it from the bathroom, and Faith, who had stopped crying for the most part and now Buffy had to admit seemed stronger and happier, standing at the bottom of the stairs.  
  
"So ask them already," Anya said with a wide grin as she seemed to want to start hopping up and down in delight.  
  
"Uh well you know that ring you found Buffy.when Dawn said she didn't steal it was because.," Willow said with a meek smirk as she looked back and forth between Buffy and the pair standing at the bottom of the stairs.  
  
"It's my wedding ring," Faith said quickly with first a nervous look up at Wesley and then she stared at the floor, not wanting to look anyone in the eye.  
  
"Y.You.You're.," Xander stuttered out looking as if he was about ready to pass out before Anya turned to him and put her arm around him with a smile as she shook her head.  
  
"You heard me right.it's my wedding ring," Faith said with a slight shrug of her shoulders as Angel took a step forward and Spike went back to grinning.  
  
"Faith.I.I don't know what to say.but who.," Buffy said with a completely flabbergasted look on her face before she felt Spike squeeze one of her hands.  
  
"Isn't it obvious pet," Spike said very sweetly before she turned to him. Buffy began to say something in response but a wink and slight nod from Spike told her that she should let her next question drop.  
  
And then suddenly it seemed that everyone in the room came to the same conclusion all at once. Dawn laid her head on Billy's shoulder and smiled as she watched almost everyone else in the room try to deal with the realization of who Faith was married to.  
  
"Wes.you're not.," Cordelia said with a confused look on her face as she seemingly hid behind Conner, who didn't seem to understand what was going on in front of him.  
  
"Guilty as charged I'm afraid," Wesley said with a nervous smile as he held up his left hand and light from the lamps glittered off of his wedding band.  
  
"Wesley.are you.are you out of your mind.she.she nearly," Cordelia said now seeming as if she'd faint, but Wesley spoke up quickly before she could. "Thank you for your concern Cordelia.but there is nothing wrong with my mind.," Wesley said with a polite smile and nod of his head before Faith snickered.  
  
"Or his body.," Faith said under her breath but loud enough that beside her Wesley turned a bright shade of red.  
  
"But how.when.where.," Buffy said with a confused look on her face that hid her smile that wanted to get out.  
  
"It's a long story that is best left for another time.," Wesley said warily eyeing Angel, who seemed to be having trouble accepting what was happening.  
  
"But we.we just thought.you guys should know.," Faith said with a small smile as she finally lifted her head and looked around the room, meeting with mostly shocked looks but a few smiles, mainly from those who already knew their little secret.  
  
"Well.congratulations.I guess," Buffy said with a smile as she stood up and walked over to Faith and the two slayers nervously hugged.  
  
"What just happened here," Xander said with a confused look on his face as he stared open mouthed at first Faith and Wesley and then Anya, who was still oddly all smiles.  
  
"Oh.I'm so happy for you.even though I knew I'm still happy," Anya said as she almost raced over and gave Faith and Wesley a hug before she continued. "But now I don't have to lie about it, so when's your bun coming out?"  
  
"What do you mean.what bun.," Faith said with a small smile and a confused look on her face.  
  
"The one you have in your oven of course.silly," Anya said with a big smile before she turned and looked at everyone in the room, who stood staring at her with wide eyes and gasps. "What did all of my clothes suddenly fall off again," Anya said with a confused look on her face.  
  
"W.W.what.did.you.," Buffy gasped as she and Faith turned to look at each other before Faith turned to Wesley, who had a look on his face as if he had just been struck by lightning.  
  
"A.bun in the.oh my.are you sure Anya," Wesley muttered before he turned to Faith and slowly wrapped his arm around her.  
  
"Of course I'm sure.what you two thought you could go at it like rabbits and there wouldn't be any consequences," Anya said with a big smile as she crossed her arms before she noticed everyone staring at her again. "What.," Anya pleaded in a cloud of confusion.  
  
"Going at it like rabbits.," Conner said with a confused look on his face before Cordelia whispered into his ear. "Oh.," Conner said softly as first his eyes squinted in confusion before growing wide in understanding as his cheeks turned red.  
  
"Me.preggers.fuck.this is all your fault you know," Faith said at first with a look of disbelief on her face before it turned to one of mock anger as she playfully glared at Wesley.  
  
"Well you know what they say.it takes two to tango.," Fred chimed in proudly before she noticed everyone looking oddly at her before she finished with an embarrassed look on her face, ".or so I've heard."  
  
"A baby.I don't.," Wesley stuttered out as he pulled Faith close and Spike tried to laugh but stopped when the pain in his chest became too much. Buffy immediately rushed back to his side with a worried and pained look on her face.  
  
"Are you alright.," Buffy said as she gingerly laid a hand on Spike's chest causing him to flinch slightly.  
  
"I'm fine pet.guess my body must still be mending," Spike said with a smile on his face as he brought a hand up and softly ran it along Buffy's jaw from her ear down to her chin.  
  
"That's good," Buffy said with a happy look in her eyes as she smiled at Spike and placed her other hand overtop of his.  
  
At that time Giles, who had been out in the backyard going over recent events in his head, entered the living room with a worried look on his face. "I have a bad.," Giles said with a frown before he noticed Faith and Wesley smiling like idiots and arm in arm. "What's going on.Wesley.Faith what are you.Buffy," Giles said thoroughly confused as he first looked at Faith and Wesley and then turned and looked at Buffy, who had to tear her gaze away from Spike's  
  
"Oh Giles.uh.you see.how can I put this lightly.uh Faith and Wesley.are.," Buffy said with a worried look on her face as she began to nervously dart around the room with her eyes.  
  
"They're married and the rogue slayer's expecting a little bit," Spike said with a smile, seemingly very pleased with himself, before Buffy turned back to him and nodded her head in silent thanks.  
  
"They're what.good heavens.this is.is.," Giles gasped out as his mind seemed to race a mile a minute and his mouth desperately trying to catch up.  
  
"It's okay Giles.don't go all wiggy on us.," Willow said with a meek smile as came up next to the old watcher.  
  
"But this.this changes everything.oh dear," Giles stammered out as he looked down at a rather chummy Willow.  
  
"But isn't Faith being pregnant a good thing," Dawn said with a slightly worried smile on her face as she first looked at Giles and then turned back to Billy.  
  
"I.I don't know.most slayers don't.don't.," Giles said with a worried look on his face as he took out his handkerchief and began to clean his glasses in earnest.  
  
"They don't what.," Gunn said with a confused frown on his face as he looked back and forth between Giles and Angel.  
  
"They don't live long enough to have children.," Angel said with an emotionless face as he stared at the floor after noticing that everyone in the room was looking at him.  
  
"No.they sadly do not.this is unprecedented.a slayer.pregnant.let alone by her watcher.," Giles said with a frown on his face as he shook his head.  
  
"Well you know what they say.there's a first time for everything," Fred said with a meek smile as she looked around the room.  
  
"Indeed," Giles said with a slight nod of his head as Wesley and Faith gazed deep into each other's eyes and dreamed about the hope of their child.  
  
END OF CHAPTER 15 


	16. Chapter 16

OF THINGS TO COME  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the new ones that I created.  
  
CHAPTER 16  
  
Hours had passes since the big announcement of Faith being pregnant and Buffy was still trying to take it all in as she slipped her key into the lock. She had just finished what she would determine as the worst night of work she'd ever had, Ms Bigsby had been on her all night to work harder and faster and several times Buffy had come close to letting her have it. But she had calmed down with thoughts of what awaited her at home. So as she unlocked the door and entered the house she did not expect the sight that greeted her. Up at the top of the stairs she saw Spike lying on the floor in the bathroom's doorway.  
  
"Spike," Buffy shrieked as she raced up the stairs after dropping everything and leaving the front door wide open. Upon reaching him she noticed that he was shaking slightly. "Spike.what's going on.," Buffy said as tears sprang to her eyes. Before she could even finish her thought violent convulsions overwhelmed Spike's body, causing him to slam into Buffy, almost knocking her off balance.  
  
"Hey Buffy.what's with all the.oh no.not again," Dawn said sleepily at first as she rubbed the sleep out of one of her eyes but then her demeanor changed when she saw Spike convulsing at Buffy's side.  
  
"Again.what.," Buffy said as she hesitated, not knowing what to do.  
  
"His soul.it's punishing him.oh God.the bathroom.," Dawn said as she feel to her knees beside Spike and her eyes grew wide as she finished talking.  
  
"But what.what do we do.," Buffy said as tears streamed down her face.  
  
"Grab him.we have to try and.help him through it.," Dawn said as she frantically looked back and forth between Spike and Buffy.  
  
After nodding her head slightly Buffy lunged at Spike, bear hugging him and trying to hold on as his convulsions ended up starting to move both of them back towards the stairs. Before Dawn could stand up Spike's convulsions sent him and Buffy tumbling down the stairs.  
  
"Buffy.," Dawn screamed as she flew down the stairs, barely missing Wesley as he stepped out of Buffy's bedroom where he and Faith had been trying to sleep. Dawn got to the bottom of the stairs fearing to find Buffy hurt, or worse, but she found her sister still hanging on to a violently convulsing Spike. From the top of the stairs Wesley started to yell something but seconds later decided against it and took off down the stairs after Dawn.  
  
"D-Dawn.," Buffy yelled as blood began to seep out of Spike's nose, much to Buffy's shock and horror.  
  
"Just hold on.," Dawn said as she tried to touch Spike but he violently convulsed away from her shaking hand.  
  
"He should come out of it.," Wesley said with a frown on his face as he was still trying to fully wake up.  
  
For what seemed like an hour Spike continued to convulse with Buffy holding on for dear life and silently praying that she could do something to help him, her heart on the verge of breaking. Dawn made several more attempts to intervene but her efforts always ended up the same way, with her about to get a hold of one of Spike's arms or legs only for him to rip the appendage away. Wesley meanwhile had run back up the stairs and retrieved his glasses, figuring that when the convulsing stopped Spike would need help, and he'd have to be wearing his glasses to give any credible aid.  
  
"Spike.please stop.I can't.lose you.please don't.leave.help me...come back.to me," Buffy sputtered out with tears flowing freely down her face as Spike continued to convulse. By now the rest of those that had stayed were now awake and gathered in the entryway, afraid to come any closer. Angel had started to help but then pulled his hand back and was now kneeling in front of the others with a very worried look on his face. "I.forgive.you.," Buffy said as softly as she could but loud enough so that she hoped only Spike would be able to hear, but others heard.  
  
"He has to forgive himself.Buffy.he has to," Angel said with a helpless look on his face as every inch of his being prodded him to act. "Spike.please.you have to.forgive.forgive.yourself.," Buffy whispered as loudly as she could; now not caring if anyone else heard her heartfelt plea to Spike.  
  
In the chaotic place that was Spike's mind at first only mass hysteria and confusion reigned. His thoughts a jumbled mass except for one singular thought that kept hitting him over and over again, memories of that night came searing through eyelids that he had jammed shut, hoping against hope that they would stop the coming onslaught. Again he felt how his mind had been that night, all embroiled in a bright red haze, making it unable for him to complete full thoughts. Speech and most motors skills had been unhampered but he could feel himself slipping.losing control over his mind and body. And then he was on top of her, his love the woman that he would do anything for.die for, and he was hurting her. The sight of her under him, struggling against his advances with tears flowing from her eyes and screams emanating from her soul filled him with dread as he struggled against the monster that sought to overtake and consume him. But when all hope and sustainability seemed lost a blinding spire of luminescent light erupted through the cloud and struck him straight away in the chest, easily forcing itself into his heart, and then up to his brain.  
  
He then suddenly began to regain his hearing and words began tumbling in, jumbled and garbled at first, but then as the words continued phrases were able to be deciphered and relayed to his fevered brain. As the first few words and phrases entered his brain he believed that his ears or the red haze were tricking him...deceiving him.for she would never be saying that she forgave him.and that he should forgive himself. In his minds eye Spike could see the others gathered around him, he thought at first gawking and laughing at him, but then his vision cleared and their true feelings were revealed. Fred stared on with tears in her eyes while Gunn just stared on in disbelief. Cordelia meanwhile hid behind Conner and only braved a few quick looks over his shoulder. For his part Conner only stood there, silent and unmoving as a statute, and just watched the events unfolding in front of him. Then the words came again.and suddenly Spike was outside of his body.looking down at himself convulsing on the floor. But what caught his attention, and made his heart skip a beat or two, was the sight of a crying and pleading Buffy holding onto him for dear life and begging him to forgive himself. "But she can't be.she is.she's forgiven me even though I don't deserve it.," Spike chaotically thought to himself as the circumference of the circle of light seemed to expand.  
  
"What.what's she.I have to forgive.myself.no I can't.but she.wants me to.," Spike thought as slowly more bits of the red haze began to dissipate in front of him. "I.I.have to.forgive.," Spike muttered, much to Buffy's joy, through his convulsions before with one final great spasm he shouted the word, "Myself," and lay still with the blood still oozing from his nose.  
  
"Spike.is he.," Dawn said with tears in her eyes as she slowly and cautiously laid a hand on Spike's leg.  
  
"I think it's over," Angel said with a scowl as he studied the look on Spike's face that resembled contentment and acceptance of himself.  
  
"Is he.he.," Buffy said as she slowly sat up and pulled Spike up with her before Spike moaned softly and started to stir.  
  
"He looks better.," Fred said with a hopeful look and slight smile on her face as she turned to Buffy and then Angel.  
  
"That he does.but is he," Wesley said with a frown on his face as a blurry eyed Faith stepped to the top of the stairs.  
  
"Hey.what's going on.I'm trying to get some sleep up here," Faith mumbled as she rubbed one eye and yawned.  
  
"Everything's okay honey.just go back to bed.you need your sleep," Wesley said as he raced up the stairs and led a bleary eyed slayer back to her room. After Wesley had raced upstairs Angel helped Buffy pick Spike up and carry him into the living room before laying him on the couch, with Buffy sitting at one end holding Spike's head in her lap.  
  
"Is this normal.," Buffy said looking up at Dawn through tear filled eyes and a now running nose.  
  
"Last time.it was a few hours before.he.woke up.," Dawn said as a tear slid down her cheek and she looked over at Angel.  
  
"Then we wait.and hope," Angel said with a sigh as he squinted his eyes and peered outside through the window.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
"Idiots.I'm surrounded by imbeciles and idiots.," Zarathos screamed angrily as he pounded his fist into the wall, causing the old stone to crack slightly.  
  
"A thousand apologies oh.devilish one.," a small demon said smiling meekly as it scurried out of the way of the next punch that would have taken off its head.  
  
"Fuck.," Zarathos said yelling so loud that it shook the entire cavern that he was standing in and dust and debris reigned down on top of them.  
  
"The watcher and the former vampire were more.more.resourceful then we anticipated.they killed poor Gluad.snapped his neck," the small demon said with a sad look on its face as it shook its head.  
  
"What.you think I care if that stupid bastard is dead.we still don't have the witch.," Zarathos growled as he trudged back towards his throne. After discovering that Wesley and Spike had escape he had sent a dozen of his vampire lackeys after them, hoping that if nothing else they'd all kill each other and save him the trouble. But his anger had only increased when the dozen had come back with dumbfounded looks on their faces and reported that not only had the former watcher and the former vampire escaped them, but now they were back with the slayers and their friends.  
  
"We're.we're working on it.my liege.we have a plan.it will not fail.," the small demon squawked as it and Zarathos entered the throne room.  
  
"Oh right.you said the same thing about your last twelve fucking plans.and I still don't have the damn with in my clutches," Zarathos said angrily as he began to ascend the steps to his throne, only to find Drusilla, blubbering like a baby, curled up and snoring loudly. "Get off of my throne," he howled as with one hand he picked Drusilla up and flung her down the steps with a smile on his face.  
  
"Hey.that wasn't very nice.," Drusilla moaned angrily as she picked herself up from the floor and glared back up at Zarathos, who was now comfortably back on his throne.  
  
"You told me they wouldn't be a problem.easy as taking candy from a baby.those were your words.were they not," Zarathos said with an angry scowl on his face as he glared at Drusilla as she slowly ascended the stairs.  
  
"I.underestimated the watcher...and Spike.it won't happen again.," Drusilla said with a small smile.  
  
"See that it doesn't.or you'll be the next vampire tied to a stake to greet the morning sun," Zarathos said with a small smile before he broke into a fit of laughter as Drusilla just glared at him.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
It had been hours since Spike had stopped convulsing and Buff had been adamant about her being awake when he came out of it. However after a few hours of waiting he eyelids had grown heavy and she had finally relented and slipped into a deep sleep. After an unknown amount of hours she awoke to find Spike staring up at her with a very calm look on his face. "What.," Buffy said with a nervous smile as she looked down at Spike, having to push some hair that got in her way behind her ear.  
  
"Just watching you sleep.you know.I never noticed how truly lovely you are when you're asleep," Spike said with a slight smile as a tear formed in Buffy's eye and then dropped onto his face.  
  
"Sorry.," Buffy said with an embarrassed smile as she took hold of Spike's right hand and squeezed slightly. She was happy to note that Spike squeezed back, and that it seemed as if he hadn't lost any of his strength.  
  
"Don't be.I'm the one that.," Spike started to say before he noticed Buffy glaring at him with a look on her face that was supposed to show anger but Spike could see that it was only a mask.  
  
"Don't.it's in the past.I said I forgive you and I do.now why are you back in Sunnydale.," Buffy said as she brought her other hand up and traced the curve of Spike's ear with her index finger.  
  
"To help you pet.Red figured out what was going on.and went to Africa and somehow found me.and after a little bit of me and her acting like blubbering gits we came back to America and met up with ole Faith and Wesley," Spike said with a smile as he tried to sit up but a sudden sharp pain in his temples caused him to lie his head back down and bring his free hand up to rub his right temple.  
  
"What's wrong.what is it Spike," Buffy said looking down at him with a worried and concerned look on her face.  
  
"That last round's effects must not have fully worn off yet.guess that's one of the pratfalls of being human again," Spike said with a slightly painful scowl on his face before he managed a weak smile.  
  
"So how's it going for you.being human again and all.having any problems.," Buffy said with a calm look on her face as then Spike took her other hand in his.  
  
"Good mostly.except I'm still getting used to some of the things that I didn't have to do as a vampire.," Spike said with a thoughtful look on his face.  
  
"Oh.like what.," Buffy said with a sly smile as she slowly shook her head, letting her hair brush softly against Spike's cheeks, which elicited a big smile and a laugh from the former vampire.  
  
"You two done yet.I swear you remind me of.," Faith said with a pretend scowl on her face as she entered the room with a bag of chips, a two liter bottle of Pepsi, and a bag of black licorice.  
  
"Who.you and Wesley.," Spike said with a sly smile as he turned his head slightly so as to be able to look at Faith as she plopped down in one of the chairs opposite the couch.  
  
"Funny.real funny.Spike.hey Buffy where's the remote.," Faith said with a small sigh before she turned to Buffy and smiled.  
  
"Are you okay.you were just really nice to both of us and you called me Buffy instead of B.," Buffy said with a slightly confused look on her face as she looked over at Faith.  
  
"I'm fine.," Faith said with a small scowl on her face as she grabbed a handful of potato chips and shoved them into her mouth.  
  
"Sure you are.must be the hormones.," Spike said with a snicker as he smiled and turned his head back so that he was looking straight up at Buffy.  
  
"It is not.I'm just hungry.and can you two please keep it down.Martha Stewart's on.," Faith said with a slightly angry look on her face as she pulled open the bag of black licorice.  
  
"You're right Spike.it is the hormones.because it's the only explanation for Faith actually saying please, watching.Martha Stewart.and eating black licorice.yuck.I hate that stuff," Buffy said with a sickly look on her face as she turned her head to look at Faith, who ignored her.  
  
"Hey Spike's awake.," Dawn said with a big smile as she entered the room, arm in arm with Billy who was holding two bottles of water.  
  
"Yeah bit.I'm awake.," Spike said with a smile as Buffy helped him gingerly sit up as she then pulled his arm around her.  
  
"Good.so does this mean what I think it means.," Dawn said with a big smile on her face as she sat down in the chair nearest to the one Faith was sitting in and pulled Billy down into the one near her, all this while looking back and forth between Spike and Buffy.  
  
"That depends.Daw.bit.what do you think it means.," Spike said with a smile as he first looked over at Dawn and then he turned his head slightly and smiled at Buffy, who returned the smile.  
  
"Are you.going to be.staying here.well you'll have to since after Willow's little dark phoenix episode your crypt's in need of some help.," Dawn said with a large smile as she slid to the edge of her seat and took the bottle of water that Billy offered her.  
  
"Hold on Dawn.I'm not sure if Buffy.," Billy said with a calm look on his face as he unscrewed the lid on his water bottle and took a sip.  
  
"Sure she is.she's been missing him ever since he left.," Dawn said as she jokingly glared over at Billy and then turned back to Spike and Buffy.  
  
"Slayer's been pining for me all summer.you don't say.," Spike said with a sly smile as he then softly snickered at Buffy, who's face turned a bright red.  
  
"Well.I.you see.uh.," Buffy said with an embarrassed look on her face before she smiled and poked Spike softly in the ribs.  
  
"Well Buffy.," Dawn asked with a slightly cocked eyebrow and a quick look at Billy and motioning for him to follow her lead.  
  
"Um..yeah Dawnie.Spike will be staying here.that is if he wants to.," Buffy said with a smile as she moved closer to Spike and then looked over at Dawn and Billy.  
  
"So Spike.," Dawn asked barely able to contain her emotions.  
  
"Looks like Clem gets to keep the crypt.I'm moving on up in the world.okay.I'll stay," Spike said with a big smile before he smiled at Buffy and then planted a soft kiss on her lips, which she eagerly returned as Dawn hopped up out of her seat and began hopping up and down as Billy eyed her with a big smile on his face.  
  
"Hey.pipe down.I can't hear Martha.," Faith said with a slightly angry look on her face as she glared at Dawn and Billy before shoving another handful of chips into her mouth.  
  
"Nine months of this.I don't know if I can handle it.," Buffy said with a large sigh as she shook her head with a big smile.  
  
"Don't laugh.that'll be you someday.," Spike said with a small snicker as he first looked at Faith and then back to Buffy.  
  
END OF CHAPTER 16 


	17. Chapter 17

OF THINGS TO COME  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the new ones that I created.  
  
CHAPTER 17  
  
While Buffy and Spike were deciding on where he would say Wesley, Giles, and Angel had traveled across town and back to the hotel that the quartet had originally stayed at. Giles and Angel had taken the opportunity provided them to begin to grill Wesley with questions about everything that had happened to him since Angel had tried to kill him, a fact that upon hearing about it Giles stopped talking to Angel for the rest of the trip.  
  
"So why'd you guys hide out.," Angel said as he stopped the car mere feet past the stop sign.  
  
"Well when we last met you tried to suffocate me with my pillow.so I don't think I need to explain that part.and then Faith.well she.didn't know exactly how or what to do.coming back married and all.she doubted that anyone would want to see her.," Wesley said with a frown as he gazed out the window and began to try and find something to catch his attention.  
  
"Yeah well about that.uh you see.we.I.Justine talked.I know you weren't going to.," Angel said with a sad frown as he quickly threw Wesley a look before he stepped on the accelerator and drove away from the stop sign.  
  
"There should never have been any doubt that I wasn't going to give Conner over to Holtz.," Wesley said with an angry scowl on his face as he half looked back at Angel.  
  
"Yes well.that's in the past.but tell me.what do you know about the evil that's coming.," Giles said with a frown as he started to clean his glasses.  
  
"That Drusilla is behind it all and if we don't stop her then the world will end.that enough for you," Wesley said with a sigh as he slowly shook his head.  
  
"It'll have to do for now.we're here," Giles said with an unhappy look on his face as Angel pulled the convertible into the hotels parking lot and parked it next to Wesley's SUV.  
  
"Good.it'll be nice to be wearing my clothes again.instead of extras.," Wesley said with a frown as he got out of the car and walked up to the door. "But I do have a question for you Angel.what are you and Cordelia and the others doing here, in Sunnydale," Wesley said with a frown as he put the key into the lock and turned the knob before opening the door and walking inside.  
  
"Lorne.he read some demon and got the willies so he gave me a call.said we had to get back to Sunnydale because trouble was coming.but he didn't say what that trouble was.but you know how Lorne gets.," Angel said at first with a frown that changed to a smirk at the end.  
  
"Yes.I do.," Wesley said plainly as he looked around the hotel room, everything was just as he and Faith had left it when they had gone out on patrol that night. Her bag was still by the television, with its unused stakes and other assorted weapons still waiting to be used. A collection of his books were stacked on the lone table in the room and the bed was a mess. "Everything looks alright.," Wesley said with a small smile as Giles and Angel followed him into the hotel room.  
  
"This place is a mess.not what I'd expect from a former watcher.," Giles said with a disapproving frown on his face as he glanced around the room before setting his sights on Wesley.  
  
"Sorry Giles.but as you said I'm a former watcher.and Faith likes it this way.it helps to keep her calm.," Wesley said at first with a frown but then ended his short speech with a broad smile on his face.  
  
While Giles and Wesley were talking Angel took the opportunity to give the room a once over. Most of what he saw he expected, the room was a complete mess but that was nothing new where Faith was concerned. The room definitely did fit Wesley as well, as although it was a mess there was almost an order to the chaos. "So Wes.how's married life treating you.," Angel said politely as he sat down on the bed and began to idly flip through one of the books that were piled on the bed.  
  
"Pretty well.Faith can be difficult at times.but then again.so can I.," Wesley said with a smile as his eyes seemed to mist over, like he was replaying some scene in his head.  
  
"So how'd you two hook up.she did try to kill you the last time you two met remember," Angel said as he finished flipping through the one book and picked up another.  
  
"I was drinking at a bar one night and she just walked up out of the blue.said she was sorry about everything.couple days later she said she wanted me to be her watcher again.and things just kind of fell into place after that," Wesley said with a smile as he went over to one of Faith's suitcases and began taking some clothes out and stuffing them in a smaller bag that was lying on the floor nearby.  
  
"I can see that.but how'd it go from just friends.to.to.well," Angel said looking up from the book with an embarrassed look on his face and a small smile.  
  
"You mean how'd we go from friends to becoming lovers.I'm not going to tell that story to anyone unless Faith okays it first.she's very private about that sort of thing," Wesley said as he went over to another one of Faith's bags and quickly pulled out a lacey black bra and panties before shoving them into the other bag.  
  
"I'm sure she is.but do you know exactly how Drusilla is supposed to bring about the end of the world.," Giles, who had been silently studying Wesley and Angels discussion, said with a frown on his face as he pulled out a chair and sat down before pulling his handkerchief out of his pocket and taking his glasses off.  
  
"Willow said it had something to do with the satanic temple that she tried to raise on Kingman's bluff, the one that was for Posaphex.if I remember correctly," Wesley said with a hand on his chin as he seemed to be deep in thought.  
  
"Of course.it makes sense.after lying undisturbed for decades the temple is now very close to the surface.all they'd need to finish raising the temple and ending the world is.," Giles said with a thoughtful look on his face as he sat and pondered Wesley's words while he cleaned his glasses.  
  
"Is Willow.," Angel said with a frown on his face as he shook his head and tossed the book he was holding back onto the bed. "Correct.so needless to say we mustn't let them get their hands on her.or the fate of the world is sealed," Wesley said as he picked up a pair of socks and shoes and then threw them both into the bag that was rapidly filling up.  
  
"Did you have any trouble getting here.," Giles said with a slightly nervous cough as he stood up and went to stare out of one of the windows.  
  
"We did run into some trouble a ways back, when we stopped at a small hotel to meet Spike and Willow and were attacked by a rather large group of vampires, in the end most of us spent a night in the hospital before we took off for here," Wesley said wincing slightly as he remembered the pain that the glass had caused him.  
  
"Well then we'd do best to get all of us together and prepare for the battle that most likely lies ahead.don't you think," Giles said with a final look around the room as he walked towards the door.  
  
"Sounds good to me.what about you Wes.got everything," Angel said as he stood up and looked back at Wesley, who had continued to stuff clothes for himself and Faith into the first and now a second bag.  
  
"I do now.let's go.," Wesley said with a smile as he zipped up the bag that held the weapons and followed Angel and Giles outside, locking the door behind him.  
  
"I'll drop you two off back at Buffy's and then I'll go get Cordelia and the others.agreed," Angel said as he got back behind the wheel with Giles and Wesley piling in beside him.  
  
"Agreed," Giles said with a slight nod of his head as he sat down in the back seat and stared out the window.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Cordelia had spent the day making Xander, who had gotten the day off of work only by promising to work extra hours later, drive her, Gunn, Fred, and Conner around Sunnydale so that she could show them the sites. Gunn and Conner had soon become bored about it all and Gunn had fallen asleep while Conner only occasionally even glanced out the window. Fred on the other hand seemed to soak up everything that Cordelia was saying, whether it was completely true or not.  
  
"So that's where the hellmouth is.doesn't look like it.in fact if you didn't know it was there.," Fred said with a small frown on her face as she gazed out of the window at the newly rebuilt Sunnydale high school.  
  
"You'd walk right by and not even blink.I know.," Xander said with a sigh as he rolled his eyes and pulled to a stop in front of the stop sign.  
  
"So are we done yet.or do we.," Gunn started to say with a frown on his face before he was interrupted as Cordelia's cell phone started to ring.  
  
"Thank you.," Xander said with a happy sigh as he checked for traffic before pulling away from the school.  
  
"Hello.oh Angel I.huh what.okay but.yeah we're all here.but.oh alright.we'll be there.," Cordelia said as first with a smile on her face but then it changed to a sad and slightly upset frown.  
  
"What did my dad say.," Conner asked with an impatient frown on his face as he turned and looked over at Cordelia as she hung up her cell phone and put it back in her pocket.  
  
"That we're all supposed to meet back up at Buffy's house.and that the trouble is far worse then he thought.," Cordelia said with a sad and slightly scared look on her face as she crossed her arms and sat back in her seat.  
  
"That's the first bit of good news I've heard all day," Xander said with a big smile as he pulled into a parking lot and turned around before heading back towards Buffy's house.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
Wesley entered the house carrying the now three bags that were filled with everything he and Faith would need to stay at the Summers home for a few days as Buffy and Angel had decided that it would be best if everyone stayed together. He had made sure that he had remembered to bring some extra weapons with him as he knew that most of Angel's weapons were most likely still back in the Hyperion in Los Angeles. Upon entering the house he saw Faith sitting on the bottom step of the stairs with an impatient frown on her face.  
  
"What's wrong.," Wesley said with a concerned look on his face as he set the bags down and kneeled in front of Faith, who looked up at him and her sullen demeanor seemed to lift for a bit. For a second or two Faith said nothing, but after looking around and making sure that no one was around she began to talk.  
  
"I don't know.it's just.I never thought that I'd be.I mean I've royally fucked up everything else I've ever done.I'm just afraid that.something will happen.," Faith said with a very sad look on her face as a tear slid down her cheek, one which she did not even try to wipe away.  
  
"What.what brought all of this on.," Wesley said with a good deal of concern and worry in his voice as he crawled over and sat down on the step next to Faith and put his arm around her before pulling her close.  
  
"Nothing.okay it wasn't nothing.B just started telling me things about how when Dawn was little this and that happened, and yes I know that those memories were planted there but still, it got me thinking.are you.am I.are we really ready to become.parents," Faith said through a few sniffles as another tear slid down her cheek.  
  
"I don't know.but I don't think that anyone is ever truly.ready.you only put forth your utmost effort, respect, and love into it and hope and pray that you end up doing the right thing.but don't worry.we have months to get ready.," Wesley said with a reassuring smile as he put his hand beneath Faith's chin and lifted her head up so that he could look her in the eye.  
  
"Will I have to stop slaying.because there's no way in hell that.," Faith said with a slight hint of anger and determination in her voice, the tone of which Wesley had learned not to disagree with her to often when she used it.  
  
"Not yet.but you'll have to stop slaying as the pregnancy progresses.then afterwards you'll be able to go back to slaying.okay," Wesley said with a small shake of his head and a big smile as he leaned in and kissed Faith fully on the lips.  
  
"Aw.yuck.get a room.," Xander said with a pretend look of disgust on his face as he walked through the doorway followed by Cordelia, Fred, Gunn, and Conner.  
  
"Hello to you to Xander.," Wesley said as he broke the kiss and slightly glared at Xander.  
  
"Xander.get out of our.oh uh hi Wes.you," Cordelia said at first with a smile towards Wesley that changed to a frown when she turned to Faith.  
  
"It's nice to see you to Cordelia, come on Wes let's talk somewhere else," Faith said with a forced smile at Cordelia before she grabbed Wesley by the arm and led him upstairs and into the bathroom before shutting and locking the door behind them.  
  
"What was that all about," Gunn said with a frown on his face as he slowly shook his head and waited for Fred to enter.  
  
"With Faith.who knows.," Angel said scowling as he walked up to Cordelia, who smiled as he approached.  
  
"You sure.she seemed kind of.," Gunn said with a sigh as he closed the door just after Conner and Fred came through it.  
  
"Listen to Angel Gunn.he knows what he's talking about," Cordelia said with a big smile as she slipped an arm around Angel's waist. Conner meanwhile stood just inside the doorway with a frown on his face.  
  
"Why are we here.we should be out there.," Conner said scowling as he looked back and forth from Angel and Cordelia to the door.  
  
"Easy Conner.we'll be out there soon enough.but we have to have a plan first.," Angel said with a reassuring look on his face as he hoped that Conner would let the subject drop.  
  
"We never used to have a plan.stupid.," Conner angrily mumbled to himself as he trudged past a disheartened Angel and Cordelia and into the living room.  
  
"Conner wait.," Angel said with a frustrated look on his face as he started to follow Conner but Cordelia held him back.  
  
"Whoa.Angel.let him go.he doesn't understand yet.but he will.," Cordelia said with a small smile as she pulled Angel back towards her before she forced him to look at her.  
  
"But he.," Angel said with a slightly angry look on his face as Gunn and Fred passed them and went into the living room.  
  
"Is just like his father.impatient and impulsive.and cute," Cordelia said with a smile before leaning in and giving Angel a kiss.  
  
"Cordelia.what.what was that for.," Angel said a bit flustered as he nervously looked around after breaking the kiss.  
  
"I just wanted to kiss you.I don't always have to have a reason.do I.," Cordelia said with a slightly hurt look on her face before she heard someone behind her clearing there throat. "Oh uh.hi Buffy.," Cordelia said with an embarrassed smile as she quickly aimed her gaze at the floor.  
  
"If you two are done we should all go into the living room, we have a lot to talk about," Buffy said with an emotionless face before she walked around Angel and Cordelia and entered the living room.  
  
"Sure Buff.," Angel said with a frown and a downcast look on his face as he turned and followed Buffy into the living room with Cordelia close behind him. Upon entering the living room Angel looked around and took note of how everyone was situated. Buffy was sitting on one end of the couch with Spike close by, an arm already looping around her waist. Gunn and Fred were squeezed into one of the chairs while Dawn sat in the one next to it with Billy sitting on the floor just in front of her, with Dawn's hands on his shoulders. Conner sat on the floor near Gunn and Fred with a frown on his face as he tried to avoid looking or speaking to anyone. Giles was standing near the television, with his back slightly turned and looking deep in thought. Willow and Xander were in the far corner of the room with Xander nervously asking her questions. Anya, standing behind him, kept butting in at the most inopportune moments. The only ones not in the room were Wesley and Faith. "Must still be upstairs," Angel thought as he slowly shook his head and took a seat next to Spike on the couch, with Cordelia quickly sitting down beside him. "Hey Peaches.glad you could make it.," Spike said with an amused smile on his face s he softly elbowed Angel in the ribs, eliciting only a baneful look.  
  
"I'll bet you are.," Angel said with a deep scowl on his face as he glared back at Spike until he caught sight of the look on Buffy's face and quickly turned his glare towards the floor.  
  
"Shouldn't someone go and get Wesley and Faith.," Billy said with a hopeful smile on his face as he calmly raised his hand.  
  
"Yes.someone should.the need to be here for this," Giles said with a small sigh and without turning around.  
  
"I'll go.," Billy said with a smile and slight nod of his head before he stood up and gave Dawn a quick smile, which she was eager to return, before he bounded out of the room and up the stairs.  
  
"Those two are getting quite chummy.wouldn't you say.," Spike softly whispered into Buffy's ear as he watched Billy leave the room.  
  
"I know.I just don't know what to do about it.they're so happy.," Buffy whispered back with at first a frown, that later changed to a smile, on her face.  
  
"Here's hoping they stay that way.you know.Bit's already starting her own miniature Scooby gang," Spike whispered back with a small snicker that made Buffy momentarily blush.  
  
"Just hope she finds as many good friends as I did," Buffy whispered back with a small sigh as Giles turned around and noticed them smiling and whispering to each other and smiling.  
  
"Uh Buffy.we should get started you know.," Giles said in his best firm watcher voice as he took a step back towards Buffy.  
  
"Yes we should.," Wesley said as he ushered Faith into the living room with Billy close behind. "Good.now that we're all here we can begin.the first thing that I feel I should say is that this threat that we are facing is grave.for they seek to not only cause death and destruction.but the end of the world as well," Giles said with a frown on his as he slowly looked at everyone in the room, getting to Billy and Dawn just as Billy sat back down in front of Dawn.  
  
"So what else is new.we've handled creeps like that before right.," Xander said with a proud smirk on his face.  
  
"That may be true.but I fear that the approaching battle will be unlike anything we've ever faced before," Giles said as Faith and Wesley found seats on the floor, with Faith leaning back against him.  
  
"And our margin for error is almost nonexistent.so maybe you should just stay here.and out of our way.," Spike said with a frown for the first part before finishing and giving Xander a sly grin.  
  
"Not likely fang face.like it or not I'm part of the team.so you're stuck with me.," Xander said forcefully as he glared back at Spike, who just gave a small laugh in response.  
  
"Enough.now let's get down to the business at hand.our enemies are powerful and great.and we need to make up a lot of lost ground.or else this is the end," Giles said with a sigh as he shook his head.  
  
END OF CHAPTER 17 


	18. Chapter 18

OF THINGS TO COME  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the new ones that I created.  
  
CHAPTER 18  
  
"What.they're after Willow.why," Xander said with a thoroughly confused look on his face as he turned and first looked over at Angel and then to Buffy, with both of them avoiding his gaze.  
  
"Because she was the one that started to raise the temple up on Kingman's Bluff.," Wesley said with a frown on his face as he turned to look at Xander.  
  
"And they want to force me to complete the job," Willow said with a sad frown on her face as she hung her head.  
  
"But.we're not going to let them get her.," Xander said with a daring look in his eye as he angrily pounded his fist into his open palm.  
  
"Of course not.that's why Red's staying here.least the vampires can't get in.don't know about the demons though," Spike said with a slightly angry look on his face as he tensed up and appeared to be ready to stand up and go at it with Xander, but a calming look and a hand on his shoulder from Buffy stopped him.  
  
"So what's the plan.we go out like gang busters and kill anything that's not human.," Billy said with a hopeful smile.  
  
"That's putting it rather bluntly don't you think," Wesley said with a frown on his face as one of his hands slowly moved to cover Faith's stomach, with one of her hands soon moving overtop of his.  
  
"Well.," Billy said with a slightly embarrassed smile as he shrugged his shoulders before Dawn squeezed them with a grin on her face.  
  
"While young William's idea is rather blunt it is nonetheless accurate.over the past few days there has been an alarming influx of demons and vampires.," Giles said with a frown on his face before taking his glasses off and rubbing his eyes.  
  
"And they're all here for one reason.so we break up into small groups and go patrolling," Angel said with a small sigh as he first looked over at Cordelia and then up to Giles.  
  
"I think that would be the best course of action, except that we do need to leave a small contingent behind to guard Willow and the house.but as to how to choose the teams.," Giles said with a small frown as he shook his head and turned to Buffy, Spike, and Angel.  
  
"So it's my choice huh.okay Dawn and Billy will stay here with Giles, Fred, Gunn, Cordy, and Xander.Spike and I will be one team.Angel and Conner will be another.and the last team will be Wesley and.uh.," Buffy said at first with a small shrug of her shoulders before she finished with a slightly unsure look on her face as her gaze fell on Faith, who now seemed kind of sleepy.  
  
"Wesley.and Faith.," Wesley said with a slight nod of his head and a smile on his face as Faith nodded her head in silent agreement.  
  
"Are you sure.should you be.since you're.," Buffy stammered out as she began to fall all over her words.  
  
"I'm pregnant not fucking incompetent.I'm going.whether you like it or not.," Faith said with an angry scowl on her face as she then turned to Wesley, who nodded his head in agreement.  
  
"We never said you were Faith.we only thought.," Angel said with a slightly angry scowl on his face as he shook his head.  
  
"What.that I should take it easy.stop fighting vampires and demons.that they might hurt the baby or something.," Faith said getting slightly agitated.  
  
"Yes actually.that child of yours and Wesley's should be protected at all costs.there's no telling what.," Giles snapped back with a touch of true anger in his voice.  
  
"Giles.," Buffy said with a scared look on her face as everyone in the room soon joined in her thinking.  
  
"Are.are you okay.," Dawn said with a slightly frightened look on her face as she shrank back in her chair.  
  
"Yes of course.I'm sorry Faith.I.," Giles said with a sigh as he searched for the right words and turned towards Faith and Wesley.  
  
"Forget it Rupert.," Faith said with a small wave of her hand and a small smile on her face as everyone in the room stared at her. "Uh.that was the baby talking.really," Faith said with a bit of shyness apparent on her face.  
  
"Alright then.everybody crystal clear on the plan.," Buffy said with a serious look on her face as she looked around the room. Dawn seemed a little hurt and ready to protest but she seemed to relax a bit after Billy whispered something to her with a smile on his face. Gunn at first seemed angry at being left out but after taking a look around the room he seemed to calm down while Fred seemed to be happy that she was staying put. Cordelia was about to protest but a stern look from Angel stopped any attempt that she was going to put up. Xander took a seat protectively near Willow, acting as if he had designated himself her personal bodyguard. Conner was already on his feet and heading into the kitchen when Buffy turned to Spike.  
  
"You ready for this pet," Spike said with a small frown as he brought one of his hands up and slowly began to rub the back of her neck, bringing a smile to her face.  
  
"No.but when has that ever mattered.let's go," Buffy said feigning a smile as she shook her head and stood up, with Spike standing up soon after.  
  
"Buffy and I will take the graveyards," Spike said with a slight nod to Angel, who eyed him with a slightly confused look on his face.  
  
"Why.shouldn't you two.," Angel said with a frown as he looked back and forth between Spike and Buffy.  
  
"We know them best.and besides.Clem's still in my old crypt.there's an army of vampires and demons out there most likely intent on killing me and if they know where my crypt is.," Spike said with a frustrated look on his face as he let his voice trail off, hoping that the others would get what he was trying to say. It didn't take long for him to know that his message had gotten across.  
  
"They'd kill him.," Buffy said with a gasp and a frightened look on her face, one that Spike never liked to see.  
  
"This is probably my soul talking but I'll be damned if I let that happen.come on Buffy let's go," Spike said with a nervous look on his face and tone in his voice before he and Buffy got weapons and left the house.  
  
"We should be going as well," Wesley said with a determined look on his face as he and Faith got to their feet.  
  
"Oh I don't know Wes.maybe we should wait a bit.," Faith said with a small smirk as she turned to look up at her husband.  
  
"What.a minute ago you were so into going out there.all gung-ho.and now.is the rogue slayer scared.," Xander said, at first with a disbelieving look on his face as he walked up to Faith and Wesley, before it turned into a joking smile.  
  
"Scared.fuck it.that's your job.," Faith growled angrily and then with a slight tilt of her head and a flash of a sexy smile she leveled a punch directly into Xander's stomach, forcefully removing the air in his body.  
  
"Faith.," Angel yelled with an uncertain look on his face and a quick look over at Wesley, who looked somewhat shocked but not very disturbed by what had just transpired.  
  
"Xander.are you alright," Anya said with a worried tone to her voice as she rushed to her former lover's side.  
  
"Do.do.do I.look.alright.to.you.," Xander gasped out through aborted attempts to pull the escaped air back into his body.  
  
"No.you don't.you look like that time on the trampoline.you know the time where I got bounced up and came back down on.," Anya said with a smile before she was interrupted by Cordelia.  
  
"Anya stop.spare us.please.," Cordelia said with a sickly look on her face before Angel turned to her with a concerned look on his face.  
  
"Come on Faith.let's go.," Wesley said with a grim look on his face as he grabbed Faith by the arm and hauled her outside and away from the house.  
  
"Whoa.what the hell was that for.let go of me.," Faith said with an angry scowl on her face as she ripped her arm out of Wesley's grasp.  
  
"Faith.why did you punch Xander.," Wesley said with a slightly apologetic look on his face as he slowly took a step back and away from Faith, who glared weakly at him.  
  
"Because he deserved it.I wasn't scared.I was just.oh come on tell me you didn't like it when he dropped like a rock.come on.tell me.," Faith said with a small shrug of her shoulders and an angry glare at Wesley before she noticed his hesitation to respond and a bright smile spread across her face. "I knew it.you did like it.you're just to shocked that I actually did it to say anything right.," she said with a smile as she wagged her finger at Wesley, who now stepped back towards her, leaving the space between them shrinking rapidly.  
  
"You know.you're smarter then they think you are.and I love you for it.," Wesley said as he crossed his arms and smiled. Before Faith could respond Wesley bent down and shared, what he had originally intended to be a quick kiss, a long and passionate kiss, one that caught the attention of the next pair out of the Summers house.  
  
"Uh Wes.Faith.hello.you two listening," Angel said with a shrug of his shoulders as he and Conner exited the house before he rolled his eyes and shook his head.  
  
"Don't they need to breathe.," Conner said with a confused look on his face as he slightly cocked his head to one side.  
  
"Unlike me yes they do.hey Wesley.Faith.," Angel said with a small smile as he looked at Conner before he turned to the couple kissing in front of him and yelled the last part. Seconds later Faith and Wesley broke their kiss and turned to Angel and Conner with embarrassed but happy looks on their faces. "You two done yet.," Angel said with a small scowl on his face as he looked back and forth between Faith and Wesley.  
  
"Yes.of course.let's go Faith.," Wesley said with a small laugh before he turned and started to walk towards his SUV.  
  
"Hey Wes.wait up.Angel.Conner.," Faith yelled after Wesley before she turned momentarily back to Angel and Conner and gave a slight nod. Seconds later she joined Wesley at the SUV, with the last words from her that Angel and Conner heard that night, "Back there you said I was smarter then they said I was.who's they.exactly.Wes.answer me.."  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
It didn't take long for Spike and Buffy to get to the cemetery, but Spike stopped dead in his tracks at the entrance, looking around with a look in his eyes that seemed like he hadn't seen the headstones and crypts for a very long time.  
  
"What's wrong.," Buffy said with a look of confusion and concern on her face as she stopped several feet in front of Spike and turned back to him.  
  
  
  
"I don't know.I was just here a few months back.but somehow this place seems to have a changed.a lot.," Spike said with an almost sad look on his face as he solemnly looked up at Buffy, who by now was walking back towards him.  
  
"It has changed.you.I.we've all changed.but for once I believe that all this change is for the better.don't you," Buffy said with an almost hopeful look on her face as she put a hand on Spike's shoulder, one that he soon covered with one of his own.  
  
"Yeah.I guess.come on let's go make sure that Clem isn't in to much trouble.," Spike said with a small smile before he started walking off towards the location of his old crypt.  
  
"With our luck.," Buffy started to say with a smile but then stopped as she pondered the rest of her thought and decided to let it drop. They slowly made their way through the cemetery, making sure to keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary. Spike kept his axe held firmly in his hands directly in front of him while Buffy grasped a stake in each hand, prepared for anything.  
  
"I don't like this.this is to easy.," Spike said with a scowl on his face as a chill ran through his body.  
  
"Maybe so.but we're almost there.so let's just.," Buffy started to say with a forced reassuring smile on her face before the sound of leaves and branches breaking from their left attracted their attention.  
  
"Guess Clem will have to wait.," Spike started to say with a sly smile before at least a dozen vampires burst out of the darkness, brandishing all sorts of weapons, from axes to swords to spears. The battle started off with the attacking vampires driving straight at Spike and Buffy. Spike angrily swung his axe at the first vampire to approach him while Buffy dodged the first attack aimed at her and drove one of her stakes home and then the other, a pile of dust beginning to form at her feet.  
  
The vampire that Spike attacked blocked his first strike and then swung it's axe, with Spike hopping backwards to avoid the blade, but he heard the hiss of the blade as it passed through the cool night air mere inches in front of his face. "That was close.to close.," Spike thought with a slightly shocked look on his face. A look that soon changed to one of dogged determination as he blocked the vampire's next strike before spinning away from it and swinging the blade of his axe around as he brought it down on the back of the vampire's neck, slicing it clean off.  
  
By the time Spike had slain his first vampire Buffy had already dusted four vampires. But now the odds were beginning to work against her and she and Spike were driven apart. The next vampire to attack rushed her, its spear aimed at her throat. She deftly dodged the attack and used the shaft of the spear to steady herself as she vaulted into the air and over the astonished vampires in front of her. With a time honored moved she flipped her stakes around and thrust backwards, creating two more piles of dust in the damp cemetery grass, and letting two spears fall harmlessly to the ground.  
  
Spike meanwhile was having a bit more trouble. Cursing his misfortune he surprised the nearest vampires by charging headlong at them. With the element of surprise fully on his side Spike lopped off the heads of two vampires with one forceful blow. The next two vampires were an entirely different story, with the first one up catching Spike off his guard and driving the but end of it's spear first into Spike's stomach and then his back, forcing Spike, in a coughing fit, to the ground. With its prey seemingly defenseless the vampire spun its spear around so as to deliver the killing blow. But the time it took to spin its spear around gave Spike the time he needed to recover his breath and begin his attack anew. Using the weight of his body Spike threw himself into the vampire hoping that the attack would jar the spear from its hands, unfortunately for Spike the vampire kept its grip on the spear as Spike felt the point of the spear tear through the back of his shirt and slice through his shoulder. Screaming in pain and anger Spike shoved the blade of the axe upward, directly through the vampire's neck.  
  
Hearing Spike's scream Buffy turned to help but her way was cut off by a pair of particularly ugly vampires who bared their fangs and hissed at her. "Get out.of.my.way," Buffy said through clenched teeth as she dodged their first attack and first dusted one vampire then the other, all the while trying to keep an eye on Spike, who after decapitating the vampire who's spear had grazed him slumped back to the ground, apparently in a great deal of pain.  
  
The remaining five vampires, seeing their comrades dusted before their very eyes, howled at first in fear before warily glancing at each other. What happened next surprised but lifted Buffy's spirits. After a hurried glance around the vampires threw their weapons onto the ground and tore off back into the darkness, howling in terror as they went.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
While Spike and Buffy were fighting in the cemetery Angel had decided to descend into the sewers and tunnels below Sunnydale, figuring that an army of vampires and demons would most likely use them as conduits of travel because of the protection that they provided. After traveling a short distance Conner's gait came to a halt and he sighed angrily before Angel noticed that his son was not at his side.  
  
"Conner.what.," Angel said with a frustrated scowl on his face as he turned around and stormed back towards Conner.  
  
"Why are we down here.we've been down here for a long time and we haven't seen anything.," Conner said through clenched teeth as he was trying to keep his quick temper in check.  
  
"We're down here because it's likely that the demons and vampires will be down here hiding in the shadows instead of up there on the streets where someone would see them and alert the police.or Buffy," Angel said with an angry sigh and his hands on his hips.  
  
"Okay fine.but I want.I need to fight.," Conner said with an angry look on his face before he stormed by Angel and walked off down the tunnel, glaring at Angel as he went.  
  
"Great.just great.," Angel muttered under his breath as he shook his head before walking off after Conner, unaware of the two beady red eyes that sat watching him from the darkness above.  
  
END OF CHAPTER 18 


	19. Chapter 19

OF THINGS TO COME  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the new ones that I created.  
  
CHAPTER 19  
  
The night had not gone much better for Faith and Wesley, who had been forced to stop at the nearest convenience store after Faith had gotten a craving for cream soda, cold pop tarts, and beef jerky. It hadn't taken Wesley long to find the cream soda, pop tarts and beef jerky, but when he got to the counter he discovered that he was fourth in line. "Great.just what I needed," Wesley thought with an exasperated sigh as he shook his head and stared at the floor. After waiting for what seemed like forever Wesley finally got up to the counter, paid for his items, and then ran back out to the SUV, where Faith was waiting impatiently.  
  
"What took you so long," Faith asked with a slightly angry tone to her voice as she jerked the pop tarts and beef jerky out of Wesley's hands.  
  
"I'm sorry, but there was a long line at the counter dear.," Wesley said with a frustrated look on his face as he set the bottle of cream soda down on Faith's lap before he buckled his seat belt and started the engine.  
  
"Then you should have been faster, now let's go.I need to kill something," Faith said through a mouthful of jerky and cold pop tarts, all which she downed with a swig of cream soda.  
  
"Of course dear.," Wesley said with a sigh and a small frown on his face, and after a short drive he pulled up into the high school's parking lot and stopped the SUV.  
  
"Why are we stopping here," Faith said with a slightly angry look on her face as she bit off a hunk of beef jerky.  
  
"We'll never find anything if we just keep driving around all night.we need to get out into the alley's.," Wesley said with a frown on his face as he shut the engine off and unbuckled his seat, followed closely by Faith doing the same. With one last long gulp she downed the rest of the cream soda and jammed the rest of the pop tart that she was eating into her mouth and stuffed another one into her pocket. Faith was out of the SUV and had a stake in each hand by the time Wesley got out of, and then around, the SUV.  
  
"Fine then honey.let's go kill something.," Faith said with a certain gleam, that Wesley began to notice closely resembled the look that she got in her eye whenever she craved sex, before a smile lit up her face and she was off, with Wesley having to almost break into a run just to keep pace.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
After the remaining vampires had dropped their weapons and fled in fear Buffy had gone to check on an injured Spike. Who by now was struggling to stand up, hugging the arm connected to his injured shoulder close to his body while using the axe to help him stand. He looked about ready to fall when Buffy rushed to his side. "Spike.," Buffy yelled with a look of fear on her face as she reached out to touch him, but he shrank away.  
  
"Watch it.," Spike muttered through gritted teeth as he staggered a bit before finally regaining his balance.  
  
"Stop whining and let me look.you're hurt.," Buffy said with a pleading but determined tone to her voice, one that Spike knew meant that there would be no arguing with her.  
  
"Fine.but don't.ow.fuck.what the hell are you trying to do.kill me," Spike growled angrily and painfully as Buffy gingerly touched the wound on his back.  
  
"It looks deep.we'd better get you home.," Buffy said with a sad look around before she turned and looked Spike squarely in the eye.  
  
"It's to far.the crypt.there should still be some bandages.in there," Spike said with a slight and painful shrug of his good shoulder towards the old stone crypt.  
  
"Whatever.," Buffy muttered under her breath before she gingerly helped Spike to the door and then into the old crypt.  
  
The moment they entered the crypt they both felt that something was wrong. With a quick look around Spike noticed that much had changed. The crypt now looked more like a college dorm room than his old crypt. "Clem's been busy," Spike thought with a rueful smile on his face as Buffy helped him over to the couch. "Where's Clem.Clem," Spike said at first with a pained look on his face before he yelled the demon's name, getting no response.  
  
"Clem.where the hell is he.," Buffy said with a slightly angry tone to her voice as she began to look around the crypt. She stopped pacing around when she noticed the note that lay on a small desk in the corner. It read:  
  
To Buffy.Dawn.or Spike.  
  
Went to Las Vegas with some of my friends.gonna try my luck at gambling.see you in a week or so.don't worry about me I'll be fine.  
  
Clem  
  
"Find something luv," Spike said with a look of painful disdain on his face as he noticed the faint smell of tomato's that hung in the air.  
  
"Yeah.a note from Clem.he's safe.he went to Vegas with some friends.," Buffy said with a smile as she turned around and walked back towards Spike.  
  
  
  
"Good.hope he stays away until all this is settled.I don't want to have to watch out for his ugly ass face when the shit hits the fan," Spike said trying to sound like he didn't care very much about the floppy eared demon but Buffy could tell that Spike truly did care what happened to their friend.  
  
"Now where are the bandages.we need to get that thing cleaned out before it gets infected.," Buffy said with a serious look on her face as she crossed her arms and lightly glared down at Spike.  
  
"Under the mattress downstairs.there should be a faucet down there to.don't know why it's there but it is.," Spike said with a slight wave of his hand towards the lower level of the crypt. Buffy was off with a smile and a slight nod of her head. Several minutes later she reappeared and dropped some bandages on the farthest couch cushion away from Spike while setting a small bowl of water on the table and sat herself down on the middle cushion.  
  
"This'll probably sting.," Buffy said with a worried look on her face as she helped Spike gingerly remove his shirt to reveal the small but deep wound. With a tentative smile on her face she balled up one of the bandages, and after dipping it in the water, went about cleaning the wound. The first time she touched the wound Spike jerked slightly before he steeled himself and let Buffy finish cleaning the wound before she began wrapping the bandages around it. "It'll probably take a couple of days to heal.with your.version of super slayer healing powers.and all," Buffy said with a look of concern on her face as she turned back towards Spike to find him staring right back at her, their faces mere centimeters apart. Before either of them could think of anything to say their lips met in a brief kiss before they broke it off.  
  
"Buffy I.," Spike started to say before Buffy cut him off by placing a finger on his lips.  
  
"Don't talk.," Buffy said with a smile before she rammed her lips back up against his, an arm deftly wrapping around his neck, careful to avoid his injured shoulder. In seconds two piles of clothes formed nearby, with Spike kicking off his shoes before Buffy helped him out of his pants. With a large grin on his face Spike watched as Buffy slipped out of her shirt before reaching down to unbutton her jeans. But Spike's hands were there first, and after a few quick movements of his hands Spike helped Buffy out of her pants as she had helped him.  
  
"You sure we should be.," Spike started to say before Buffy shook her head at him and again pressed her lips to his. In seconds they were completely nude, with him on top and almost no space between their now sweaty bodies.  
  
"Spike.make me.feel.again.," Buffy managed to sputter out in between the kisses before Spike began kissing first her chin and then he started kissing his way down her neck. Buffy could feel her body temperature rising as she closed her eyes. "This feels so.good.so.," Buffy started to think before something snapped and terrified screams began to erupt from her body.  
  
"Buffy.," was all that Spike could say before Buffy opened her eyes and his heart stopped at the look her saw in them, for it was the same look that he had seen in her eyes that night in the bathroom.  
  
"Please.stop.get.off.me.no.," Buffy screamed as she began to wail with tears streaming down her cheeks.  
  
"Buffy," Spike yelled more out of fear and uncertainty then anger but his tone of voice apparently scared her as her mouth continued to move but words no longer came out. Moving quickly he rolled off of her, unfortunately a little to awkwardly as he felt the pain in his shoulder flare up.  
  
"No.please.stop.," Buffy moaned softly through the tears as she crawled back away from him with a terrified look on her face.  
  
"Buffy.stop.I did.see.you're okay.you're fine.," Spike said trying his best to calm down the naked and frightened slayer in front of him. At first his words didn't seem to work at all. "Buffy please.it's not.we're not.please.," he said softly with a very worried look on his face before he felt his own tears as they began to rush across his cheeks. Where his words had failed to calm her hysterics the sight of Spike in tears finally seemed to get to Buffy.  
  
"Spike.wait.where am.what did you.did I.oh God Spike.I'm.I don't know.what's wrong.with me.I'm.sorry.so sorry," Buffy sputtered out as she began to ramble on and visibly tremble. Acting more out of instinct rather than logic Spike scrambled over and took her in his arms, rejoicing that she did not pull away or continue her hysterics, but relished in his touch.  
  
"It's okay Buffy.don't be sorry.I understand.I'm the one that's sorry.it was too much.to fast and.," Spike said through his own tears as Buffy began to sob in his arms.  
  
"No.I just.don't know.just.hold me.don't let go.," Buffy said in between the sobs that began to wrack her body.  
  
"Don't worry.I'm never going to let you go.I'll stay with you forever.if you want," Spike said with a determined look on his face and tone in his voice.  
  
"I.I do.," Buffy sputtered out before the ordeal took its toll on the both of them and they soon succumbed to their exhaustion and drifted off into sleep.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
After the heated discussion earlier neither Angel nor Conner had spoken a word, with both fully unsure of what to say. They had continued to travel through the sewers and tunnels, with no knowledge of what had begun following them through the dank and dark recesses. They finally stopped when they came to the end of the tunnel that they were currently traveling in, with a long drop to a pool of grimy water below.  
  
"Where now.oh great and all knowing father," Conner said with a sarcastic look on his face and tone in his voice as he turned around and glared back at Angel, who was now not in to good a mood himself.  
  
"We double back and take another tunnel.if that one doesn't work we double back and take another one.," Angel said with an angry scowl on his face as he peered down into the water far below before looking back up at Conner.  
  
"But we're getting nowhere.there's nothing down here.we should just forget about the sewers and tunnels and hit the streets," Conner said with an angry look on his face as he started to storm off away from the end of the tunnel. He had stormed all the way back to another large room before Angel caught up with him and grabbed him by the arm, spinning him around.  
  
"Don't you dare walk away from me when I'm talking.to.you," Angel started to yell before his voice quickly softened as he and Conner both began to notice the two large red eyes glowing at them from the darkness.  
  
"What is it.," Conner said with a slightly confused but still confident look on his face as he pulled out his knife from its sheath on his belt.  
  
"I don't know but.," Angel started to say before a large hairy leg that ended in an extremely sharp barb shot past his head and slammed into the wall, missing his head by mere inches. "Conner look out," Angel yelled as he slipped on his game face and pushed Conner out of the way of another large hairy leg. The next few minutes consisted mostly of seemingly one large hairy leg with a sharp barb on the end shooting at them after another, with Angel and Conner only able to deflect the blows, all without gaining any knowledge on what was attacking them.  
  
"I can't.see what's attacking us," Conner yelled as he ducked out of the way of another hairy leg and swung his knife, burying the blade deep into the leg. An extremely loud hissing sound soon filled the chamber, being so loud that it caused both Angel and Conner to cover their ears as they thought their eardrums would rupture. "Ahh..the..sound.," Angel sputtered out as the pain began to increase in his head until all he could hear was a high pitched ringing sound. Conner beside him could only grit his teeth and hope that the ringing sound stopped soon, because he felt like his head was going to explode.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"God.I can't believe they rebuilt this place.and in the exact same fucking spot," Faith said with a sigh on her face as she and Wesley slowly walked down the corridors of the new Sunnydale High School.  
  
"I agree.with all that happened with the old school I'm surprised too that they didn't pick an alternate site.I just hope that the ghosts of the past are truly gone.," Wesley said with a frown on his face as he turned and looked back down the corridor from whence they had come. They had been walking through the new high school ever since parking their SUV in the parking lot.  
  
"At least if looks different.after what I did to bring about the demise of the old school.," Faith said with a sad and remorseful look on her face as she solemnly began to stare at the ground, idly spinning the stake in her hand.  
  
"Well we're almost done with the upper levels, maybe we'll find something in the basement, Dawn said that the basement is like a maze.something about that doesn't sound to encouraging to me," Wesley said as he swung his flashlight around and shined it into classrooms as he and Faith walked by them.  
  
"Remember when you first came here.B and I treated you like shit.," Faith said with a smile and a small laugh as she remembered the day that Wesley had arrived in Sunnydale to take over the job of watcher from Giles.  
  
"Yes you did.but I must admit that I was pretty green.expecting the two of you to tell me everything that happened.trying to boss you around.it's partially my fault that you.," Wesley began before ceasing to speak, as he did not want to say the rest.  
  
"No Wes.it's not your fault that I fucked up my life.I kept blaming everything bad that happened in my life on my shitty upbringing.you tried to stop me.and what did I do.almost.killed you," Faith said slowly shaking her head with a serious look on her face before she turned and grabbed Wesley by the arm, spinning him around so that she could look him in the eye. "I.I'm sorry for that.you know that right.," Faith said with a pleading look on her face as she looked up into her husbands eyes.  
  
"Yes I do.but you've already apologized for that.and I've long since forgiven you.why did you feel the need to bring it up now.," Wesley said with a slight frown on his face before it turned to a look of confusion. Soon Faith's face mirrored his own.  
  
"I don't know.guess just being here brought up some old memories that I'd rather had stayed dead and buried you know.," Faith said with a small sigh before she let go of Wesley's arm and continued on down the hall, heading for the gym. They had just entered the gym when suddenly a bright spotlight bore down on them.  
  
"What the hell," Wesley said with a slight tone of anger to his voice as he and Faith brought their hands up to cover their eyes.  
  
"Ah Wesley.Faith.so glad you could join us.," an oddly familiar voice said merrily from the surrounding darkness. The voice seemed to be coming from further inside the gym.  
  
"No.it can't be.that voice.but he's.he's.," Faith stammered out as her mind raced, desperately trying to figure out how he could be there.  
  
"Ah come on Faith.turn that frown upside down.you should be happy that I'm back.now we can have fun again.like we used to have.before that bitch and her friends stopped us.," the voice said at first with a merry tone to its voice, but it soon turned to one of anger and resentment at the end.  
  
"Wait a minute.I know that voice.but.you died.in the explosion.," Wesley said with a thoroughly confused look on his face as he tried to look at Faith but couldn't because of the bright glare of the spotlight.  
  
"You should.in a way I guess you could say that I helped bring you two crazy kids together.in fact I guess you could say that you two owe me.so you're in my debt.and I think that this is the perfect opportunity for me to collect," the voice said with an overly excited tone to its voice.  
  
"Show yourself you mother fucking.," Faith growled angrily as she gritted her teeth and tightened her grip on her stake.  
  
"Tsk, tsk Faith.well don't say I didn't warn you.boys.," the voice said with at first a tone of mock sarcasm in its voice but ending with a chipper tone to its voice. And at the end of his little speech the rest of the lights in the gymnasium instantly turned on. Lighting up the entire room and bringing the identity of the speaker to light. "Ah.that's better.hello baby.watcher," the man said with a slightly sinister laugh.  
  
"No.Mayor Wilkins.," Wesley gasped out as he struggled to get his eyes back to normal while looking around the room.  
  
"You remember my name.good.now it's time to play a game.one that I just think you're gonna love.it's called dodge ball.only in this game we won't be using those stupid little rubber balls.I have a better idea.," the mayor said with a sinister smile before Wesley and Faith turned and saw at least two dozen winged demons all snarling and glaring at them, with spheres of fire forming in their clawed hands.  
  
"So what's the plan Wes.," Faith said with a deepening feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach as she slowly took a step back, keeping her eyes on each of the demons.  
  
"Don't die.," Wesley said after swallowing hard and glaring directly at the mayor, who after making sure that every one of the demons had conjured a sphere of fire, gave a slight nod of his head, causing the demons to utter guttural cheers before hurling the spheres towards Faith and Wesley.  
  
"Look out," Wesley yelled as he and Faith turned and pushed open the gym's double doors, just as the first few spheres hit. With terrifying force Wesley and Faith were blown through the doorway and sent flying back through the hall and finally sliding to a stop at its far end.  
  
"Fuck.," Faith muttered as she tried to shake the cobwebs out of her head and push back the wave of pain that threatened to wash over her.  
  
"Come on.we have to.," Wesley said with a pained grimace on his face as he grabbed Faith's arm and pulled her to her feet.  
  
"Now you die," a demon growled as it charged through the doorway and hurled the first of another volley of fire spheres down the hallway towards Faith and Wesley.  
  
END OF CHAPTER 19 


	20. Chapter 20

OF THINGS TO COME  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the new ones that I created.  
  
CHAPTER 20  
  
Buffy awoke to find Spike's arms wrapped protectively around her. With a quick glance down she noticed that she was completely nude. "What the hell.why am I.oh God.," Buffy thought at first with a confused look on her face before the memories of what had transpired before her slumber began to creep back into her head. As cautiously and softly as she could Buffy slid out of Spike's arms and crawled over to her clothes. She had almost finished getting dressed when she heard Spike stirring behind her.  
  
"Ah.fuck.my shoulder.," Spike mumbled as he slowly came to and squinted as he looked around the crypt.  
  
"Spike.," Buffy said with a tone of worry and shock to her voice as she stood up and turned around.  
  
"How long was I out.wait a minute.why am I.oh yeah.," Spike started to say with a frown on his face before the events of the previous hours came rushing back to him.  
  
"Spike.I.I'm sorry.about earlier.," Buffy stammered out with an embarrassed look on her face as Spike got to his feet and started to put his clothes back on. At first Spike acted as if he hadn't heard her words, just sitting solemnly on the couch and pulling his shoes and socks on. "Spike.," Buffy said pleadingly a couple of times before she took a step towards Spike.  
  
"You have nothing to be sorry about.my fault.we'd better go," Spike said solemnly, all without even a small look Buffy's way, before he gingerly pulled his shirt on and grabbed his axe on the way out of the crypt.  
  
"Said I was sorry.," Buffy muttered sadly under her breath as she followed Spike out of the crypt.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
Angel awoke to find Conner staring at him with a slightly confused look on his face. "What the hell.I don't remember falling asleep," Angel thought as he tried to recall the events that had just transpired.  
  
"Dad.are you alright," Conner said with a now calm look on his face as he softly shook Angel.  
  
"Conner.yeah I'm fine.mostly," Angel said with a small smile on his face before he tried to sit up, but a jolt of pain made him lay his head back down on the wet stone floor.  
  
"We should get out of here.whatever attacked us will probably return.," Conner said with a wary look on his face as he stood up and peered into the darkness.  
  
"Right.just give me a minute.," Angel said with a weak smile as he rolled over onto his stomach and slowly pushed himself up so that he was on his hands and knees. The pain in his head still existed, but after the initial shock of it Angel had found that it wasn't as bad as he had at first thought it to be.  
  
"Now can we go.," Conner said with an impatient tone to his voice and look on his face as he began to idly pace around the room.  
  
"Yeah.just.okay let's go," Angel said after swallowing hard before he finally took the chance on standing up.  
  
"So are you going to marry her.," Conner said with an expressionless look on his face as he walked off down the nearest tunnel. Angel hurried to catch up.  
  
"What.marry who.Cordelia.," Angel said with a confused look on his face as he caught up and matched his stride to Conner's.  
  
"You two have become quite close recently.isn't that the next step.," Conner said with a thoughtful look on his face as he first looked over at Angel but then finished with a look down at the ground in front of his feet.  
  
"Oh man.um.how should I put this.," Angel said with an uncomfortable sigh as he continued to walk beside Conner for a time, always keeping an ear open for any sound that would signal the return of the creature that had attacked them. "I do love Cordelia.and she loves me.but," he said with a slightly embarrassed look on his face.  
  
"So then I was right.," Conner said with a calm look on his face as he and Angel stopped beside a ladder that led up and out of the sewers.  
  
"Hard to say.but stranger things have happened.," Angel said with an uncomfortable sigh as he started to climb up the ladder.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
While Spike and Buffy were fighting the vampires in the graveyard Giles had made sure that everyone had stayed in the living room and that all of the doors and windows were locked. On top of that he had sent Xander and Anya around the house to close all of the curtains and bring all of the weapons into the living room.  
  
"This stinks," Fred said with a sigh and a bored look on her face as she leaned back in her chair and stared at the television, which was now showing the local news.  
  
"I feel like we should be out there to," Billy said with an unhappy frown on his face as he sat on the bottom step of the staircase and stared at the door. Dawn beside him slowly nodded her head in agreement.  
  
"We are all where we're supposed to be.you and Dawn are not ready.not yet.," Giles said with a sigh as he took off his glasses and began to clean them with the handkerchief that he took out of his pocket.  
  
"But shouldn't they have checked in by now.," Cordelia said with a worried frown on her face as she slightly lifted the bottom edge of one of the curtains and peered outside.  
  
"Don't worry about Angel Cordelia, he'll be back," Gunn said with a small sigh as he picked up the remote and began to flip through the channels.  
  
"Angel can take care of himself.I'm worried about Buffy.if Spike tries anything.," Xander said with an angry look on his face as he tightly clenched his fists.  
  
"He's not a vampire anymore Xander.he's not going to.try anything.," Anya said with a small laugh as she patted Xander on the back.  
  
"Yeah.he wouldn't.not now that he's human.," Dawn said with an excited smile on her face as she looped her arm around Billy's.  
  
"You sure about that.he did something horrible.and you expect me to forgive him and not worry.sorry but once someone goes that far to the dark side there's no turning back.they're just no good.no matter what they say or do," Xander said with a determined look on his face before Willow spoke up.  
  
"Am I included in that group.the ones that have done something horrible and are now just no good.," Willow said without even the smallest hint of feeling in her voice as she slowly turned her head to stare directly at Xander.  
  
"What.no.Willow I.I didn't.Willow," Xander sputtered out as he saw the angry look that Willow gave him before he finished his sentence as she walked out of the living room and into the kitchen.  
  
"Way to go Xander.idiot," Cordelia mumbled just loud enough for Gunn and Fred to hear with an angry smirk on her face as she glared at Xander from across the room.  
  
"Wait Willow.I didn't mean to.," Xander said with a frustrated look on his face as he looked first to Anya and then to Giles, who was looking at him with a scornful look on his face, before he sulked out of the living room.  
  
  
  
"Why does he always have to be like that.he's always sticking his foot in his mouth and screwing things up.," Anya said with an unhappy and frustrated look on her face as she looked up to Giles for the answer.  
  
"I'm sorry Anya.but Xander is.someone that.that.," Giles said deep in thought as he wracked his brain for the correct words to describe Xander.  
  
"Someone that lets his fears and demons keep him from ever being happy," Gunn said with an unhappy look on his face as he slowly nodded his head.  
  
"Yes.that's it.exactly.," Giles said with a sigh and a small smile before he turned back to writing in his journal.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
"Wes move it.," Faith yelled as she grabbed Wesley by the arm and pulled him back to his feet. Ever since they had been blown out of the gym Faith and Wesley had been relentlessly hounded by the winged demons, hurling one fireball after another. The area near the gym now looked like a war zone, with huge holes in the walls and major portions of the ceiling that had either collapsed or were about ready to. For the most part both Wesley and Faith had been lucky; so far they had been able to avoid the demons spheres of fire.  
  
"We have to find a way to.fight back," Wesley said as he desperately tried to regain his breath while leaping after Faith into a nearby room.  
  
"No shit Sherlock.," Faith intoned with a sarcastic look on her face before a grimace spread across her face as she continued, "How are we supposed to fight back when we can't even get close to them?"  
  
"I don't.wait I've got an idea," Wesley said with a smile and a sudden surge of hope as turned back to Faith and grabbed her hand before pulling her out of the room.  
  
"Wait.where are we going," Faith protested as they broke into a run after seeing one of the demons fly past the end of the hallway.  
  
"Just follow me.you'll see when we get there.if we can find it.," Wesley said as they reached the opposite end of the hall and he motioned for Faith to be silent while he peered around the corner.  
  
"So.is it clear.," Faith said with an impatient tone to her voice as she grabbed Wesley's shoulder and then squeezed slightly when he didn't immediately respond.  
  
"Almost.now," Wesley said at first with a warning hand up before he dropped the hand and again grabbed Faith's hand and pulled her across the hall. Before she could say anything Wesley was off skittering down the hall, nervously checking every room after listening to make sure that no demons were close.  
  
"Wesley.what the hell are you doing.," Faith yelled softly with an angry look on her face as she impatiently watched her husband running back and forth between rooms.  
  
"Looking for.ah here it is.come on.get over here," Wesley said with an excited and relieved tone to his voice as he turned back to Faith and motioned for her to come to him.  
  
"What are we doing.the science room.how's that supposed to help us.," Faith said with a confused look on her face as she followed Wesley into the room, mere moments before an angry demon flew by.  
  
"Think about it Faith.there has to be chemicals in here.ones that we can use," Wesley said with a tired smile on his face as he rushed over to a row of cabinets along the far wall.  
  
"Use for what.science was never my best subject.to boring.except when the teacher mixed a bunch of chemicals together and made them do all kinds of things.one almost.exploded," Faith said at first with an irritated look on her face and tone to her voice before at the end she began to understand why Wesley had wanted to find this room.  
  
"Exactly.now come and help me get these open.we need the chemicals inside," Wesley said with a nervous smile as he took out his knife and tried to wedge the point in between the doors.  
  
"Right.," Faith said with a smile on her face as she shut the door and locked it before she ran over to Wesley.  
  
"We have to find anything that'll explode.or at least catch fire.," Wesley said as he desperately struggled to get the doors open.  
  
"But they're locked.wait the keys.," Faith said at first with a grimace on her face before she brightened up at the end and rushed over to the teachers desk at the front of the room. Faith frantically began pulling open each and every drawer in the desk, rummaging through them with little care for the mess she was making. She quickly rummaged through all of the drawers except for a large one at the bottom of the desk. "Fuck.it's locked.," Faith said as she pulled on the handle, hoping that with her added slayer strength she'd be able to rip the drawer open, unfortunately she pulled a little to hard and she ripped the handle right off of the drawer. "Fuck," Faith growled angrily with a look of disgust on her face before she flung the handle away from her.  
  
"Just get it open.we need the keys," Wesley said in a hoarse whisper as he rushed up to the desk after returning his knife to its sheath on his belt.  
  
  
  
"Fine.here goes nothing," Faith said with a sigh before she grabbed a big rock that was sitting on the top of the desk and began to bash it into the drawer, hoping to crack it open.  
  
"Hey.watch it.they'll hear that and come running.flying.," Wesley said with a hint of anger in his voice as he glared at Faith before running over to the door and peering outside, saying a silent prayer when he didn't see any demons.  
  
"You got a better idea.I'm listening.wait.I.I got it," Faith said angrily at first before her demeanor changed and she finished with an excited look on her face and tone to her voice. She yanked the drawer out violently and began pulling files and all sorts of things out of it before she stopped and looked up at Wesley with a big smile on her face. "I found them," Faith said with a happy smirk on her face as she pulled a large ring of keys out of the drawer.  
  
"Good.then get your pretty ass over here.," Wesley said under his breath angrily before Faith ran back over to the cabinets, weaving through the chairs and tables.  
  
".Get you're pretty ass over here.does your mother know you talk like that.methinks I'm starting to rub off on you Wes.," Faith said with a small snicker as she lightly goosed Wesley.  
  
"It had to happen eventually.," Wesley said with a sigh as he took the ring of keys from Faith and began to test each key. A sudden screeching sound from out in the hall caused him to stop momentarily.  
  
"Don't stop Wesley.keep going.they're coming.," Faith said with a hurried tone to her voice as she squeezed Wesley's shoulder. "It's these bloody keys.none of them are.working.," Wesley growled with an angry look on his face as he tried another key. As Wesley began to try another key Faith nervously began scanning the room for anything that she could use as a weapon.  
  
"Gotta find something to fight with.but what am I going to find in here.," Faith thought with a frown on her face as she bumped into a mop. With a small sigh she snapped off the end of the mop and began to put it through its paces, seeing if it was a viable weapon. "Guess it'll have to do," Faith muttered under her breath with an angry sigh before she quickly rejoined Wesley at the cabinets. "Found the right one yet," she said, keeping a wary eye on the door.  
  
"Does it look like I've found the bloody.," Wesley began to say angrily as he tried another key before a soft clanking sound emanated from the lock and Wesley was able to turn the key.  
  
"Yes.," Faith said with a big smile on her face as she patted Wesley on the back with one hand while using the other to help him open up the cabinet. Inside they found it fully stocked with chemicals, many of them still in their shipping containers of Styrofoam.  
  
"Which ones do we take.I flunked chemistry.," Faith said with at first a confused look on her face before she sighed and smiled meekly at Wesley, who nervously shook his head and rolled his eyes. Wesley took a few seconds to find the chemicals that he wanted but when he found them all he could do is angrily shake his head. "What.what's wrong.," Faith said with a hurried tone to her voice as she frantically looked back and forth between Wesley and the door, just as a demon flew by. Before Wesley could answer an explosion ripped through the room, sending razor sharp shards of glass and cement flying.  
  
"Look out.," Wesley yelled at the top of his lungs as he grabbed Faith and pushed her down before he dove on top of her.  
  
"I.told.you.to.stop.," Faith tried to yell angrily but she kept having to cough because of the thickness of the dust. As the dust began to subside Wesley's worst fears were realized as he saw a trio of demons slowly saunter in with murderous gleam in their eyes and spheres of fire forming in their clawed hands.  
  
"We have to.," Wesley said with a scared look on his face as he rolled off of Faith, who started to yell something until she turned and noticed the demons.  
  
"Fuck.what a way to.," Faith muttered angrily as she backed up against the cabinet and used it as support to stand up, with Wesley soon joining her on his feet.  
  
"Any ideas," Wesley asked with a very concerned look on his face as he shrank back a bit as the trio of demons inched closer and closer, the spheres in their hands growing larger and larger.  
  
"Just one.," Faith said with a cheesy smile before Wesley shook his head and sighed with a tired but resolved look on his face.  
  
"Fuck.," Wesley growled angrily before he and Faith set their feet and then charged towards the advancing demons.  
  
* * * * * * *  
  
"Where are they.it's almost dawn.," Cordelia said softly with a frustrated look on her face as she peered out through an opening in the curtains. She had been staring out through the curtains ever since Angel and Conner had left, and intent on staying there until they returned.  
  
"Quieter Cordy.you almost woke them up," Xander said in a harsh whisper as he nodded his head towards the couch, where Dawn had fallen asleep in Billy's arms.  
  
"Sorry.," Cordelia said with a smile on her face as she nervously blushed a bright red before she returned to staring out of the window.  
  
After the angry exchange between Willow and Xander earlier in the night Giles had resorted to sitting each of them on one side of the couch with him directly in the middle. That approach had worked for most of the night, but it had started degrading more and more as dawn grew near. "I don't think we have anything to worry about.Buffy can take care of herself.and with Spike with her.not to mention the others," Giles said with at first a slightly angry look on his face before it changed to a much more peaceful one.  
  
"Yeah.Angel and Conner will be fine.don't know about Wes and Faith though.no telling with them," Gunn said with an unhappy frown on his face as he shook his head.  
  
"Charles.they'll be fine.they have to be.," Fred said with a scared look on her face as she scolded Gunn.  
  
"Sorry Fred.," Gunn said with a frustrated sigh as he plopped down into one of the chairs.  
  
"Well this has been a night that I'll try hard to forget," Anya said with a bored frown on her face.  
  
"It's Angel and Conner.," Cordelia said with a big smile on her face as she turned back to look at Giles.  
  
"What about Buffy.," Xander said with a concerned look on his face as he looked up at Cordelia.  
  
"And Spike.," Willow said with a serious look on her face after she glared over at Xander, who didn't seem to notice.  
  
"Nope not.there they are.but they don't look to happy," Cordelia started to say with a smile on her face before her expression changed to one of worry.  
  
  
  
"I have a bad feeling about this.," Giles said with a worried look on his face as he stood up and walked over to the door, opening it just as Angel was about to reach for the doorknob. Angel and Conner passed into the house without uttering a word before Cordelia ran up and threw her arms around Angel.  
  
"Angel are you okay," Cordelia said with a worried look on her face as she hugged Angel tightly.  
  
"I'm fine Cordy," Angel said in a monotone voice as he looked back at Conner, who was now holding the door open for Spike and Buffy, both of whom didn't utter a word as they came in.  
  
"Buffy.what's wrong.," Xander said with a worried look on his face after seeing Buffy's body language and the look on her face.  
  
"Nothing Xander.," Buffy muttered sadly before Xander started to rise from his seat on the couch. "At least nothing that you can help me with.sorry," she said sadly as she started to head into the kitchen but was stopped by an inquiry from Giles.  
  
"Where's Wesley and Faith.," Giles said with a concerned look on his face as he stared out the open door before turning his gaze back to Buffy.  
  
"What.they're not back yet.," Buffy said turning around with a slightly confused look on her face as she then glanced up at Giles.  
  
"No.they're not.," Giles said with an ever darkening frown on his face before he slowly began to shake his head.  
  
"Oh this can't be good.nope.not at all.," Anya said with a sad look on her face as she started to shake her head.  
  
END OF CHAPTER 20 


	21. Chapter 21

OF THINGS TO COME  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the new ones that I created.  
  
CHAPTER 21  
  
Wesley awoke to the sensation of being drug along the ground. Summoning up what little strength that he had left Wesley slowly and cautiously opened one eye and began to look around. Through his blurred vision he looked around in a fit of panic before he saw Faith being drug beside him. "Thank God.," Wesley thought with an enormous sense of relief as he saw her chest slowly rise and fall. He next turned his attention to what was going on around him. He noticed that he was being drug by his feet by one demon and another demon was dragging Faith in an equal manner. "This is bad," Wesley thought with a worried look on his face before his attention was pulled elsewhere as he heard a soft moan escape from Faith's lips. "Faith.," he whispered harshly under his breath, hoping that only Faith would hear.  
  
"Ah.shut up Wes.," Faith mumbled groggily as she lazily opened her eyes and looked over at Wesley.  
  
"Faith wake up.this is no time.," Wesley whispered with a bit of anger in his voice as he reached over and lightly bumped Faith's arm, bringing her around to full consciousness as she glared at him.  
  
"I said stop it.," Faith growled angrily before letting her voice trailed off, eliciting a toothy grin from one of the demons that was dragging them. "Wes.how did we," she asked with a pained look on her face before memories of the fight filtered back into her mind.  
  
# # # # # # # #  
  
Their charge had been doomed from the beginning, but charging headlong into battles that they had no hope of winning had kind of become a trademark for Wesley and Faith. Wesley had tried to put up a valiant fight but had been blindsided by one of the demons wings as it smashed into his stomach, knocking the air out of him. Faith had started to go to his aid when she was knocked off her feet by an explosion. By the time she had recovered the sight she saw made her blood run cold, for stooped over her gasping husband was The Mayor, smiling like a maniac, holding an oddly familiar knife to Wesley's throat.  
  
"I wonder what color a bastard Watchers blood is.ah to bad.it's just plain old red," the Mayor said with a happy chuckle as he began to press the edge of the blade into Wesley's neck, drawing a thin line of blood, causing Faith's heart to skip a beat.  
  
"Stop," Faith howled as she lunged towards the Mayor, intending on driving the mop handle straight through his heart. But she had only barely left the ground when a strong arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her backwards. Struggling against the demon's grip Faith could only stare in abject horror as the line of blood slowly began to grow ever larger. "Bastard," Faith screamed as she violently began to strain against the demons grip.  
  
"Now Faith.that's not very nice.you know what my mother used to tell me.wait a minute.of course you don't you're just a child.ah well I'll tell you anyway.," the Mayor said with a very happy grin on his face, acting as if he was having the time of his life. "She said.son.if you don't have anything nice to say.then don't say anything at all," he said with a grin on his face as he began to creep closer and closer to Faith, bringing the now blood stained knife closer and closer to her own neck. "Remember this knife Faith.I gave it to you as a present a long time ago.fitting don't you think that I'm going to kill you with it," he said with a snicker before he placed the knife's edge mere centimeters from Faith's throat before jerking it away suddenly.  
  
"Fuck you.," Faith growled through gritted teeth as she tried to glare a hole right through the Mayor, who just shook his head before she felt a sharp blow to the back of her head and her world went black.  
  
"Ah yes.I love my job.," the Mayor said with an excited sigh before he turned away and started walking down the hall talking nonsense to himself.  
  
# # # # # # # # #  
  
"Wes.your neck.," Faith said with a lump in her throat as her eyes grew slightly wider and she began to stare at Wesley's neck, which now only showed a small cut with a patch of dried blood.  
  
"I'm okay.he didn't cut deep enough to do anything but cosmetic damage," Wesley said with a small smile before he turned away and tried to get his bearings as to where they were in the school.  
  
"Thank you," Faith said as a silent prayer before she continued, "Any idea where we.oh fuck," she started to say with a concerned look on her face before she felt the wooden floor of the gym beneath her.  
  
"Not the best place to be," Wesley said with a sarcastic tone to his voice as he also noticed where they had been dragged to.  
  
"You two remember this place don't you.," the Mayor said with a small laugh as he walked up to them and grinned down at them.  
  
"Fuck you.," Faith growled angrily as the two demons that had been dragging them let go of their feet and turned around to bar them from the Mayor.  
  
"Such language.and from a woman in your condition.tsk.tsk.tsk.," the Mayor said with a smile before he turned to another group of demons and said, "Well we're ready to go.open the doors.always hated gym.." At his words two demons glided over and pulled open the double doors that led outside. One of the demons looked back at the Mayor with a look of fear in it's eyes. "What's the matter now.you act like.oh no.the sun.everybody out.," the Mayor yelled with a disappointed and angry look on his face before he turned back to Faith and Wesley just as all the demons in the gymnasium tore by him and out the door. Within seconds they had ripped the manhole cover off and had disappeared down into the sewers below. "Really.it's been fun playing with you two.but it's time for me to go.," the Mayor said with a merry smile before he ran out of the gymnasium and climbed down into the sewer before one of the demons pulled the manhole cover back into place.  
  
"Oh no you don't you fucking.," Faith growled angrily as she took off out of the gym and arrived at the manhole cover mere minutes later, with Wesley close behind.  
  
"Faith come on.we have to get out of here.," Wesley said with an impatient look on his face as he put a hand on Faith's shoulder.  
  
"What.why.," Faith growled back as she angrily glared at Wesley before she began to hear the far off sound of police sirens. "The police are coming.and I know you don't want to be here when they arrive.they'll throw you back in jail without even looking at you.and I'm not about to let that happen," Wesley said with a sober but determined look on his face as he grabbed Faith's arm and slowly began to pull her away from the manhole and back towards their SUV.  
  
"But.we had them.," Faith said defiantly, but she allowed Wesley to drag her back to their SUV and she didn't argue when he opened the passenger side door and motioned for her to get in.  
  
"With the Mayor back I fear that our troubles are just beginning," Wesley said as he and Faith got in the SUV and shut their doors.  
  
"B got him once.she can do it again.besides I'm on the right team this time.and I've got something.someone.to fight for.," Faith said with a surge of confidence and a smile on her face as Wesley started the engine and pulled out of the school's parking lot, mere seconds before the first police car came around the corner.  
  
"Well let's just hope then that she can repeat the feat.," Wesley said with a small sigh of relief as he turned a corner and the high school passed out of sight.  
  
* * * * * * *  
  
"I'd better be getting home.my parents are supposed to get back from their trip today.and I can't come home this early and.," Billy said with a worried look on his face as he looked back and forth between Dawn, who was still trying to wake up as she had her head on his shoulder, and Buffy, who had after making sure that Spike had gotten some much needed medical attention had kept her distance from him.  
  
"Okay but.," Buffy began to say through a yawn before a voice from the living room interrupted her and broke her train of thought.  
  
"Buffy.get in here quick.," Willow yelled out with a worried and confused look on her face as she fearfully looked over at Xander, who along with Anya, returned the look.  
  
"What is it.," Buffy said with an impatient look on her face as she walked into living room followed by a stumbling Dawn, who was getting help walking from an equally tired Billy. "You're not going to believe this.," Fred said with a slightly scared but confused look on her face as she looked up as Buffy entered the room.  
  
"Oh my.," Buffy gasped as she brought a hand up to her face and covered her mouth as her knees began to shake, forcing her to sit down on the corner of the couch. From across the room Spike only watched on with a smirk on his face, but the smirk disappeared when Buffy turned his way.  
  
"This is bad.," Angel said slowly shaking his head as he stared at the destruction on the television screen.  
  
"Is that.the high school," Billy asked with a look of shock and unbelief on his face as he guided Dawn to one of the chairs.  
  
"Guess you and Bit won't have school today.," Spike said with a smile and without looking away from the window.  
  
"Not funny Spike.," Buffy said with a serious tone to her voice as she lightly glared over at Spike, much to Xander's delight.  
  
"What happened.," Cordelia said with a concerned and worried look on her face as everyone in the room sat riveted to the events unfolding on the screen. Police and fire engines surrounded the school, with police and firefighters circling everywhere, desperately trying to put out the numerous fires and to make sure that there was no one inside the building. Buffy was about to say something when she was interrupted by the sound of the front door opening.  
  
"Hey B.we're back.," Faith said with as chipper and innocent a voice as she could manage as she and Wesley walked into the living room, both completely covered in dirt, dust, and some blood.  
  
"That's nice Faith.have you.seen.Faith.Wesley.," Buffy started to say casually as she kept her eyes riveted to the screen but finally tore them off and her jaw dropped when she saw the pair in the entryway. Seconds later everyone in the room turned to at first glance and then stare at the pair.  
  
"What the hell happened to you two.Wes.your neck," Gunn said with a confused look on his face as he looked first at Wesley and Faith and then back to Fred, who had an equally confused look on her face.  
  
"Nothing.it's only a flesh wound.thankfully," Faith said with a slight smirk on her face as she stared at first the floor and then the ceiling to avoid their questioning eyes.  
  
"Faith.did you do that.," Angel said dryly with an angry frown on his face as he pointed to the events unfolding on the television screen.  
  
"Directly.no.but.we kinda.," Faith said with a frown on her face as she searched for the right words to say that wouldn't shift the blame squarely onto her.  
  
"We went to the high school to investigate and we ran into a little bit of trouble.," Wesley said with a somber look on his face as he put a hand on Faith's shoulder.  
  
"Looks like you found a shit load of trouble," Spike said with an angry scowl on his face as he glared at Wesley and Faith from across the room.  
  
"Spike.watch your mouth.Wes.just tell us what happened," Buffy said glaring ruefully first at Spike before she turned her attention back to Faith, who stood with her usual blank look on her face, and then Wesley.  
  
"And don't leave anything out.," Giles said with a frown on his face, speaking up for the first time after being silent and watching everyone's reactions to the events happening on the television screen and in the entryway.  
  
"Alright.after taking care of Faith's cravings.," Wesley began to say with a small sigh as he pushed his glasses back into their proper place before he was interrupted by Faith.  
  
"That reminds me.hey B.you got any spaghetti and ranch dressing.," Faith said with a hungry look on her face.  
  
"Top shelf to the right of the sink and bottom shelf of the fridge," Buffy said with a hand out pointing to the kitchen.  
  
"Thanks.go ahead honey continue.I'm hungry.," Faith said with a smile on her face as she patted Wesley on the back before disappearing into the kitchen.  
  
"Honey.," Xander said with a joking smile on his face as he noticed the uncomfortable look on Wesley's face.  
  
"Hormones.anyway we decided to check out the school.everything was going fine until we got to the gym.that's where the proverbial shit hit the fan," Wesley said with a weary frown on his face as he scratched his chin.  
  
"So who was it.Dru.," Angel said with an ever growing sense of dread as he felt Cordelia slip her arm around his.  
  
"I wish.when the lights turned on we received quite a shock.," Wesley started to say with a frown on his face before he shoved his hands in his pockets and turned away from looking at Angel to look over at Buffy and Giles before continuing. "I don't believe I'm saying this.but.it.," Wesley said with a sigh as he shook his head in almost shame.  
  
"That bastard the Mayor," Faith said with a handful of dry spaghetti sticks in one hand and a small bowl of ranch dressing in the other. Her words hit most of the group like a ton of bricks; Buffy fell silent for a second before looking over at Giles with a helpless look on her face. Xander dropped his head and began to shake it as if in shame with Anya sitting beside him looking like her new puppy had just died. Angel and Cordelia shared a quick glance before she sighed heavily and hid slightly behind him. Willow seemed to shrivel up in her chair as if the living room walls were closing in on her. Spike meanwhile just gave a quick chuckle before he shook his head and took a few steps towards the center of the room.  
  
"Are you sure.," Giles said with a pensive frown on his face after swallowing harder then he ever thought he could.  
  
"Afraid so.he's the one that.," Wesley said uncomfortably with a frown on his face as he faintly gestured towards the blood on his throat.  
  
"This is very troubling news.not only Drusilla.but now the Mayor as well.must have been resurrected somehow.but something tells me that the Mayor is not the ultimate evil that we are currently facing.he's merely a distraction.a decoy.of sorts," Giles said with a very serious look on his face as he stared straight ahead, avoiding everyone's eyes.  
  
"Great.so when do we get some good news for a change huh," Xander said with a heavy sigh as he threw his hands up and shook his head in dismay.  
  
"We're all still alive.that's good enough news for now.," Angel said with a frustrated frown on his face.  
  
The next few hours were spent by the teams that went out relating every detail of their patrols, from Conner and Angel's run-in with the giant creature to Buffy and Spike fighting the vampires in the cemetery and then discovering that Clem was in Las Vegas with his friends. Buffy had intentionally left out the part about her and Spike's aborted try and sex, and had used the excuse that she and Spike had verbally exchanged barbs that night to explain why the two weren't all cozy. Giles instantly suspected that there was another reason behind Spike and Buffy's estrangement but had kept his ideas and fears to himself until after Buffy was done telling her story and he could talk to her in private. But his plans had been hijacked when Cordelia and Willow had cornered her in the kitchen and ordered everyone else, including Dawn, to stay out and to not eavesdrop if they valued their lives.  
  
"Okay Buffy.so what really happened between you and Spike.you're hiding something.," Cordelia said with an impatient look on her face as she leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms.  
  
"I.I don't know what you're talking about Cordy.I told you.everything," Buffy said with a nervous smile on her face as she stared at her half full glass of milk in front of her on the table.  
  
"Buffy.we're your friends.you can tell us.did Spike try something.did he.," Willow said with a very concerned and slightly scared look on her face as she laid a hand on Buffy's arm in solace.  
  
"N-No.he didn't do anything wrong.it was me.we got to his old crypt and then I helped him with his shoulder.then things got all wiggy.one minute we're just talking.the next we're.uh.and then I just freaked out.," Buffy said with a very embarrassed and sad look on her face before she took a quick sip of milk as she looked to be on the verge of tearing up.  
  
"What'd Spike do then.," Willow asked with a ever increasing frown on her face as she nervously looked back and forth between Buffy and Cordelia.  
  
"He didn't argue.or yell at me.he just.held me.until we fell asleep.," Buffy said with a somber look on her face as first one then many tears began sliding down her cheeks.  
  
"So what now.where do we go from here.," Cordelia said with a sad look on her face as she shook her head and looked over at Willow, who returned the look.  
  
"I don't know.I just don't know.," Buffy said with a sad look on her face and tears sliding down her face as she shook her head.  
  
END OF CHAPTER 21 


	22. Chapter 22

OF THINGS TO COME  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the new ones that I created.  
  
CHAPTER 22  
  
After his failure to speak privately to Buffy Giles had decided that he would instead try and speak to Spike, but when he had finally been able to coax Spike into the backyard Xander had been nosy and joined them outside. He had decided to hold their impromptu meeting far enough away from the house so that they could talk candidly without the fear of having to watch their every word.  
  
"So Rupert.I'm here.ask your damn questions.," Spike growled angrily as he leaned up against a nearby tree and glared at Xander.  
  
"No need to be rude Spike.but while Buffy recounted the events of the night I couldn't help but get the odd feeling that she was leaving certain details out.details of a personal nature.and with your odd behavior as well.," Giles said with a confused frown on his face as he scratched an itch on his nose.  
  
"So what'd you do to her this time Spike.you try and play rough again.and Buffy kicked your ugly.," Xander said with a chipper look on his face.  
  
"Shut up whelp.she used to like it when I did that.," Spike growled with a very angrily look on his face as it seemed for a second or two that he was about to throttle Xander, but deciding against it Spike turned his attention back to Giles.  
  
"Please Spike.and Xander please try and hold your tongue.," Giles said calmly at first before saying the last bit with a hint of built up frustration in his voice.  
  
"Fine.," Spike began to say with a sigh and a shrug of his shoulders before he continued, "I'm not one to kiss and tell but after Buffy found Clem's note and she tried to bandage my wound well.things kind of.uh.," he said with a frustrated and reluctant look on his face before he noticed the confused looks on Xander and Giles' faces. "Do I have to draw a bloody road map for you two gits.she kissed me, I kissed her.one thing led to another.," Spike growled angrily fidgeting and wishing badly that he still smoked, for he'd kill for a drag at that moment, if only to break the tension.  
  
"You mean that you two.," Xander said with an ever increasing level of understanding as it dawned on him the exact message that Spike was trying to get across.  
  
"Had.relations.," Giles said with an embarrassed frown on his face as Xander seemed to dislike the idea terribly.  
  
"Almost did.barely got started n' she started to freak out.crying like a baby.like that night.," Spike said with a sigh as both Xander and Giles could see how uncomfortable talking about what had happened was making Spike. Giles marveled at the sight and thought that he could be wrong about his feelings on the possibility of Spike and Buffy being together.  
  
"So what happened then.huh Spike.," Xander said with an angry look on his face as he clenched one of his fists.  
  
"She cried.I took her in my arms.and we fell asleep.happy now.," Spike said with an emotionless mask on his face, but behind it he was seething with anger, before he stormed off back towards the house.  
  
"Well.that went well.," Xander said with a sarcastic smile on his face as he watched Spike open and then slam the door shut before turning back to Giles.  
  
"Shut up Xander.," Giles said with an angry sigh as he shook his head before following after Spike.  
  
* * * * * * *  
  
While Cordelia and Willow had pulled Buffy into the kitchen and Giles and Xander had coaxed Spike outside to talk Wesley had guided Faith to the middle seat of the couch, with him taking the seat beside her. They continued to watch the emergency personnel pour into the school looking for survivors and to assess the damage. Faith didn't seem to notice, or care, as she sat on the couch as munched on her dry spaghetti and ranch dressing.  
  
"So Faith.how's it feel.being pregnant and all.," Dawn said with a hesitant frown on her face as she sat down in one of the chairs as far away from Faith as she could get, with Angel sitting behind her in the shadows that enveloped the corner of the room.  
  
"Don't know yet.so far I've just had all these weird cravings.," Faith said with a small sigh before she smiled and dropped her hand to her stomach, which was already beginning to grow. "What the fuck.," she said with a slightly shocked look on her face before she quickly glanced up at Wesley.  
  
"What.what is it.what's wrong.," Wesley said with at first a slight smirk on his face, but after seeing that Faith wasn't teasing, it changed to a look of true concern.  
  
"My stomach.it's.," Faith said with a look of concern on her face before she grabbed Wesley's hand and guided it to her stomach.  
  
"Growing larger.of course it is.that's what happens.although we should make a doctors' appointment come to think of it," Wesley said with a relieved smile on his face before he moved his hand that was on Faith's stomach to her shoulder.  
  
"I know it is I'm not stupid.but should it be.like this already.shouldn't it.I don't know.take longer to get this big," Faith said with a worried look on her face as she looked from Wesley and then over to the door as first Spike stormed in and then Giles came in soon after.  
  
"I don't know.but how far along are you," Fred said with a thoughtful look on her face as she sat up in her chair.  
  
"I don't know.just found out I was pregnant a couple of days ago.," Faith said with an angry look on her face before she dipped her dry spaghetti in the ranch dressing and took a bite.  
  
"Then it is odd that you are already showing.although this could be a result of your being a slayer.," Giles said with a frown on his face as he hesitantly joined the conversation as Spike stormed upstairs after seeing that the kitchen was occupied.  
  
"What.," Angel said with a slightly confused look on his face as he looked up from his spot in the corner. "What I meant was that if we look at other aspects of the slayer.the accelerated healing.metabolism, reflexes.and other enhancements.everything happens faster in slayers.it's possible they even age quicker.but as we've discussed earlier none have lived long enough.," Giles said with a thoughtful look on his face as he took out his handkerchief and began nervously cleaning his glasses after noticing that everyone in the room was staring at him as if he had just grown another head.  
  
"So then this could be completely normal.for a slayer pregnancy.," Dawn said with a hopeful look on her face as Billy, sitting beside her, looked on.  
  
"I guess it's entirely possible.," Giles said with a frown on his face as he walked over to stand near the edge of the couch.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
Zarathos paced his throne room, running plan after plan in his head, deciding exactly how he would exact his revenge on the slayer's and their friends. "Especially the watcher and the ex-vampire," he thought with an angry scowl on his face as he drove his fist into the wall. Drusilla, meanwhile, sat on the bottom step feasting on a couple that had decided to watch a late movie and had taken a wrong turn on their walk home. Consequently she hadn't spoken in quite a while, something for which Zarathos was exceedingly grateful. "Why am I stuck with idiots like you as servants.why," Zarathos growled angrily at the demons standing in front of him, who all cringed at his words.  
  
"We are sorry oh grisly and most despised one," an emaciated demon said meekly as it looked first at the Mayor, who stood beside it, and then back to the ground.  
  
"Hey.come on Zary.my man.don't worry about it.we'll get them.," the Mayor said with a wide grin on his face before he noticed the demon beside him glaring at him. "What are you staring at.blue boy," the Mayor said with a snicker before shaking his head in annoyance.  
  
"I have lost much already.impersonating the former watcher drained much of my blood.and strength.I fear that I may not be of much service in the coming battles," the blue demon said as it struggled to hold it's new form, that of one of a grocery store worker. Seconds later its attempts failed and it reverted back to its formless humanoid shape.  
  
"And you'll lose a lot more than that if you fail me again.so I'd say that it'd be in your best interest to do it right this time.no screw ups," Zarathos said angrily as he glared first at the formless humanoid demon and then to the Mayor, who merely smiled and shrugged his shoulders.  
  
"Whatever you say boss man.don't worry so much.it's not good for your health.," the Mayor said with a cocky smile before he turned and walked out of the room, ushered out by Zarathos hurling curse after curse after him.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
Ever since the end of the pregnancy discussion Faith had slipped upstairs and showered before slipping into some of the clothes that Wesley had retrieved from their hotel room. After her Wesley had done the same and the pair now sat on the steps in front of Buffy's house, with Faith sitting on a lower step and leaning back up against Wesley. Dawn and Billy sat on the opposite side of the stairway with looks of boredom on their faces.  
  
"I never thought that I'd ever see the day that the school got trashed and we'd have nothing to do," Billy said with an unhappy frown on his face as Dawn smiled meekly back at him.  
  
"Hey come on.there's always something to do.school's for losers.my kids not going to.," Faith began to say with a playful smile before she was interrupted by Wesley.  
  
"Our child is going to go to school and then attend college somewhere.right honey," Wesley said with a small smile and a frown on his face as he played with the ends of Faith's dark locks.  
  
"Right.dear," Faith said ruefully with a small sigh before she turned her head and looked towards the road, eyeing a mother pushing a baby in a stroller on the sidewalk.  
  
"Just think Faith.that'll be you someday.," Billy said with a joking smile as he looked back and forth between Faith and the mother as she pushed the stroller on the sidewalk.  
  
"Like hell it will.that'll be the nanny's job.," Faith said with a slightly angry look on her face as she snorted slightly before chuckling softly.  
  
"What nanny.just you watch.after the baby's born you won't let anyone near it.," Wesley said with a smile on his face before he moved his hand to Faith's stomach.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
While Dawn and Billy exchanged good natured barbs with the expecting couple on the front steps Buffy was having a far worse time. Ever since her talk with Cordelia and Willow had ended she had debated whether or not trudge up the stairs and confront Spike about what had happened the night before, all while staring out one of the front windows, wishing that she could swap places with Faith and Wesley. Part of her just wished that it had all been a dream, while still another part of her wished that she could go back in time and stop herself from ruining that night.  
  
"Buffy.can we talk.in private," a low voice from behind her said before she recognized it as Angel.  
  
"Huh.sure.I guess," Buffy said with a downcast look on her face as she slightly nodded her head before she turned away from the window and followed Angel, who had dodged the few stray beams of light that filtered through the curtains, downstairs. Angel barely waited long enough for Buffy to get down the stairs before he launched into his first volley of questions.  
  
"What happened last night Buffy.," Angel said with a frustrated and impatient scowl on his face as he plopped down into one of the chairs that Buffy had brought downstairs.  
  
"I already told you what happened remember.I told everyone.or weren't you listening," Buffy said with an uneasy smile on her face as she hoped that her explanation would suffice, but knew that Angel would most likely not buy her earlier story.  
  
"You told a good story.but we both know that you were leaving a few.shall we say.details.like maybe why Spike has been avoiding you like the plague ever since you two got back," Angel said with an unhappy scowl on his face as he glanced up at Buffy, who now sat down on the bottom step and pulled her knees up under her chin.  
  
"You noticed huh.," Buffy said meekly as she dropped her head onto her knees and bit her lip to keep from crying.  
  
"Yeah.kind of hard not to.when you know someone as well as I know you.," Angel said with an uncomfortable tone to his voice as he managed a meek smirk.  
  
"What if I don't want to talk about it.," Buffy said with a somber look on her face as she looked away.  
  
"I'm not trying to be mean but I need to know if there's anything I can do to help, look I know you love him.I'm not happy about it but.who am I to judge.I just don't want you to have your heart broken again.," Angel said with a sympathetic look on his face as he awkwardly took his coat off.  
  
"I know.and thanks.but this is something.that Spike and I need to deal with ourselves.," Buffy said with a hopeful smile on her face as she quickly wiped away a tear, hoping that Angel wouldn't notice.  
  
"You sure, I'll talk to him first if you want," Angel said with a hopeful look on his face that ended up changing to a serious one.  
  
"No.I need to talk to him.alone," Buffy said with a sad but determined look on her face before she stood up, turned and trudged up the stairs, being met on the way up by Conner, who was on the way down.  
  
"Is.she okay.she looked like she was about to cry," Conner said with a confused and slightly concerned look on his face as he stopped on the bottom step and looked back up the steps as Buffy disappeared around a corner.  
  
"Conner what.no she's not.she's in trouble.," Angel said with a frustrated frown on his face as he nervously shuffled his feet.  
  
"Shouldn't we help her then.slay something.eviscerate something," Conner said with a determined but obviously clueless look on his face.  
  
"I wish it were that easy Conner, but with Buffy and Spike it's a matter of the heart, and no man made weapon like a sword or an axe is of any use in that battle.trust me.I know from experience," Angel said with a frustrated sigh as he shook his head and stared at his son.  
  
"Then how do you fight the battles.," Conner said with a now thoroughly confused look on his face as he sat down and back up against one of the supports in the basement.  
  
"Oh man.this is going to take a while," Angel said with a frown as he rolled his eyes and shook his head in frustration and dread.  
  
* * * * * * *  
  
Ever since he had left Giles and Xander in the backyard Spike had locked himself in Buffy's room. He had sat down on the edge of her bed, letting the soft and warming morning rays of the sun fall on his now completely brown hair. He hadn't uttered a word since he had locked himself in; rather he passed the time by going over every little of what had occurred the night before in the crypt. "It's not her fault.it can't be.it has to be mine," Spike thought with an ever changing expression on his face. He had no idea as to how long he intended to stay up in her room. His only thought being that he needed to be away from her and needed some quiet time to himself, some time to figure out what to do next. But the silence could not last forever.  
  
"Spike.you in there," Buffy called with a soft voice through her door as she stood nervously out in the hall, keeping an eye out to make sure that she was the only one around. Hearing no response at first she was ready to leave when she got the confirmation that she had been hoping, and dreading.  
  
"What do you want.," Spike said with a monotone voice as the blank and expressionless look on his face matched those of the dolls that Buffy had scattered around her room.  
  
"I want.we need to talk.can you.please.unlock the door and let me in.," Buffy said with a slightly faltering voice as she debated whether or not to even touch the doorknob. Seconds of silence later her heart rose when she heard footsteps in the room and then came the sound of the door being unlocked before it swung open to reveal Spike standing near her bed, staring at the floor.  
  
"It's your room luv.," Spike said with a half attempt at a bow as Buffy walked past him into the room with an extremely nervous look on her face.  
  
"Thanks.," Buffy said with a small sigh as she sat down on the bed before she turned back to Spike and continued, "Could you lock the door again.I don't want anyone to interrupt us at some way inopportune moment."  
  
"No course not.wouldn't want any of the kiddies to interrupt you going bloody loco again," Spike said with a sarcastic and slightly mocking tone to his voice, but he nonetheless relocked the door before slowly turning around.  
  
"Spike.," Buffy said with a pleading tone to her voice as she tried to keep her composure, but she had to admit now that she was closer to him her will was quickly breaking down.  
  
"Sorry luv.," Spike said with a tone to his voice that one would have after realizing that they had said the exact opposite of what they had intended to say.  
  
"I'm sorry about last night.," Buffy began with a faltering voice before she was interrupted by Spike.  
  
"We already covered this luv.remember.you're not the one that needs to be forgiven.that's my realm," Spike said with a sour look on his face as he slowly shook his head before walking over and staring out of the window, all without letting Buffy look him in the eye.  
  
"No.no we haven't.you just keep pulling away every time I try to apologize for anything.like last night.and everything else.all the hurt.the pain.that I've put you through over the years.," Buffy said as she let her voice trail off for she knew that even if she wanted to say another word her mouth would not utter anything more.  
  
"You didn't do anything to me that I didn't deserve.hard as it is for me to say it's true.and last night.was just.wrong.it was a mistake to think.that you could ever truly.," Spike said with a stern look on his face and tone to his voice as he steeled his will against turning back to see the tears that he knew were most likely sliding down Buffy's cheeks as he spoke each word.  
  
"No.last night wasn't a mistake.it was right.the memories of that awful night just hit me all of a sudden.and I guess I couldn't handle it.," Buffy said with a tear now sliding down her cheek before she slowly and cautiously stood up before continuing as she made her way to Spike's side. "You're completely wrong about the last part though.you weren't mistaken to think that.about me.that whole time we were.together.I told myself I was crazy for what I was feeling.feeling for you.and then after you left I thought that those feelings were over.but then you came back.and.," she finished with her words in between awkward pauses that both dreaded.  
  
"And what.," Spike muttered through tight lips that seemed to refuse to say much more than that for fear of what could possibly be to come.  
  
"And I knew.I understood what.exactly my feelings were.about you.but just like everything else in my life it took me a long time to realize.that.that.I," Buffy said now as more tears sprang to her eyes before cascading down her cheeks.  
  
"That you what.," Spike forced out through his seemingly frozen jaw as some force made him turn around and stare into her eyes before he lifted a hand to softly caress her cheek.  
  
"That I.I.I love you Spike.," Buffy sputtered out as she saw first the look of fear that was on Spike's face turn to one of relief and then.their thoughts seemed to merge into one as their lips met.and all the hurt, the pain, the suffering that they had caused each other over the years just melted away in a sea of bliss.  
  
END OF CHAPTER 22 


	23. Chapter 23

OF THINGS TO COME  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the new ones that I created.  
  
CHAPTER 23  
  
Buffy awoke to an odd sensation, while it was one that she had felt before there was definitely something different about it today. Somehow it just simply felt like, for the first time in her life, that she had achieved a sense or normalcy that she could grow to like, and one day love. She slowly opened her eyes and peered around the room. Everything was in its proper place, nothing looked out of the ordinary, at least until she rolled over and turned towards the window, for she came face to face with Spike. Although asleep Buffy marveled at the way that the setting sun seemed to accentuate his lithe but toned body. "Wait a minute.the sun.setting.oh God.how long have we been," Buffy thought with a horrified look on her face as she imagined what the others had thought of her spending all this time locked in her room with Spike. "Xander will probably want to stake him.." That thought brought a genuine smile to her lips before she broke into a soon stifled fit of laughter.  
  
"Mmm..hey.what's so funny," Spike quipped softly with a happy smile on his face as he slowly began to slip back into the conscious world.  
  
"Just thinking of what Xander would do if he found us together in my bed.all naked and sweaty.," Buffy said with a small snicker before they both smiled and kissed again.  
  
"Probably shit his pants.that is if his head doesn't explode first," Spike said with a small snicker before he broke into a laugh in which he was soon joined by Buffy.  
  
"Funny.but you know what this means don't you.," Buffy said with a small smirk on her face as she sat up in bed and looked back down at Spike.  
  
"What.that I'm never going to be able to use the bathroom in the mornings.," Spike said with a generous smile as he lifted an arm and with his hand traced a line down Buffy's body, that started at her ear and then down to her shoulder before tracing around one of her breasts and then ran his down under the covers. She shivered slightly as he ran his hand down along her body.  
  
"No.that we have to tell everyone.but not yet.," Buffy said at first with a hint of sadness to her voice that was rapidly replace by a happy tone as she leaned back down and was drawn into another of Spike's kisses.  
  
"Buffy.Spike.you two in there," a voice called out from just outside the door, catching both of them off guard and causing Buffy to instinctively pull the covers up around her as Spike began a haphazard search for a weapon of some sort.  
  
"Huh.what.Willow.," Buffy said with a flabbergasted look on her face before the look was replaced by a rather sheepish smile.  
  
"Giles wants everyone downstairs.you okay in there.," Willow said at first forcefully through the door but then finished with a joking tone to her voice.  
  
"Right as rain in here Red.how about you," Spike shouted with a jocular tone to his voice as he threw off the sheets and swung his legs off the edge of the bed. Buffy meanwhile tried to keep from laughing to loudly as she did the same. All they heard before complete silence was a muffled laugh from outside in the hall and then someone going down the stairs.  
  
"You think she'll tell.," Buffy asked as she reached for her panties, all the while keeping an eye on Spike, who by now was already zipping up his jeans.  
  
"Nah.it'd ruin the surprise.," Spike said with a small snicker as he pulled on his shirt and bent over to retrieve his socks, as across the bed Buffy pulled on her own jeans.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
"Okay Giles we're all here.so start dispensing some sage words of wisdom," Xander said with a cheery smile on his face as he entered the living room. Angel, Cordelia, Gunn, and Fred were all seated on the couch while Conner stood by Angel's side, seemingly wanting to stand rather than sit. Billy and Dawn meanwhile had squeezed into one of the chairs while Wesley sat in another with Faith, who lazily drifted back and forth between consciousness and unconsciousness, in his arms. Anya stood idly by in the far corner of the room, looking as if she was going over some extremely important idea in her head. Willow stood near Giles, who stood in the center of the room, with an unhappy and slightly frumpy frown on her face.  
  
"Not quite yet Xander.um where are Buffy and Spike," Giles said with a small sigh as he reached a hand up and adjusted his glasses.  
  
"Um they're.they're.," Willow stammered out slowly as she tried her best to keep the smile that was fighting to show itself off of her face. Ultimately she gave up trying and just resorted to sporting a smile that was filled with glee and happiness.  
  
"Sorry we're late.," Buffy said with a nervous smile on her face as she rapidly descended the stairs, followed closely behind by Spike.  
  
"Good of you two to join us," Giles said with a disapproving grimace on his face as he took in Buffy and Spike's slightly haggard appearance. Both of them looked tired with their hair all a mess and Buffy looked as if she had done her makeup at warp speed.  
  
"Sorry for the holdup Rupert.you can continue the lecture now.," Spike said with a merrier than usual smile on his face as he patted Giles on the back before he sat down on the floor near Buffy, who took the last seat, forcing Xander to stand awkwardly near Conner.  
  
"You look happy.," Wesley muttered over to Buffy under his breath as he kept an eye on Giles to make sure that he hadn't been heard.  
  
"I am.," Buffy muttered back with a gleeful smirk on her face as she dropped her right hand to lie on Spike's shoulder.  
  
"You are what.," Angel said with a questioning look on his face as he, and everyone else in the room, turned to stare oddly at Buffy, who could only blush and avert her eyes.  
  
"Ready to get out there and make a difference Peaches.isn't that what she's supposed to do," Spike said speaking up quickly after a quick glance back at the mortified Buffy. The only response Angel gave was a stern glare aimed directly at Spike.  
  
"Getting back to the topic at hand.I believe that we should refrain from having a team comprised of any less that three members.therefore.Buffy.and.," Giles said firmly at first before wavering as he got to the end of his thought process.  
  
"Spike.will take Angel-lite over there," Spike said with a particularly happy smile on his face as he first looked to Angel, who just continued to glare after a flash of anger in his eyes, before finally looking at Conner, who didn't seem to have heard any part of the conversation.  
  
"Oh no.Conner's not going to.," Cordelia said with an angry and defiant look on her face as she grabbed Angel's arm and squeezed hard while glaring in the direction of Spike and Buffy.  
  
"It's alright Cordelia.I'll go with William the Bloody and Buffy," Conner said without a single emotion showing on his face before he noticed Angel staring at him with a concerned and confused look on his face.  
  
"You sure Conner.," Angel asked as he looked back and forth between a smirking Spike and his son.  
  
"Yes father.after all the stories you told about them I've wanted to see them in action.," Conner said with a deadpan tone to his voice and a slightly glazed over look in his eye.  
  
"What have you been telling the kid about us Peaches.you tell him that I killed two slayers and you didn't kill any," Spike said with a slightly arrogant tone to his voice and look on his face.  
  
"And that fact helps us how exactly.," Xander said with a sarcastic tone to his voice as he cast a baneful look Spike's way before he noticed Buffy glaring at him.  
  
"Yes Spike.I did tell him.I also told him about that time in Paris when we.," Angel said with a small smile curling his lip as he nodded and gave Spike a knowing look, which was soon repeated but with Spike having a concerned look on his face.  
  
"You didn't tell him everything about Paris.did you.not about Marie.and Celeste," Spike said with a slightly worried look on his face as he shifted his weight around uncomfortably.  
  
"What do you think.," Conner said with a proud smile on his face like Angel had on before Conner spoke up. "Uh Spike.who was Marie and Celeste.hmm.," Buffy quipped in as she moved her hand from Spike's shoulder to the back of his neck as slowly began to squeeze his neck.  
  
"Uh.they were.uh.," Spike said with a slightly embarrassed look on his face as he racked his brain for an answer that wouldn't get him in trouble with Buffy before Giles spoke back up.  
  
"It doesn't matter right now.Angel.you Gunn and Wesley can be the other team.with Faith staying here.in her condition it would be.," Giles said softly before he cringed slightly as he almost knew what would come next.  
  
"What.wait a damn minute.I'm not going to.give me one good reason," Faith started to growl angrily as she glared at Giles before Wesley looped an arm around her still slim waist and placed his hand on her ever increasing stomach.  
  
"I can think of one.," Wesley said with a frown on his face as he slowly pulled Faith close, making sure to whisper calming words to her as he did so, luckily it seemed to work, for the time being at least. Seemingly at once everyone in the room that knew Faith let out a relieved sigh.  
  
"Don't I get to do anything.come on Buffy.Spike," Dawn whimpered slightly with a pleading look on her face as she looked over at her sister, with Billy joining in and looking for help in Spike.  
  
"Uh oh luv.she's giving you the feared puppy dog eyes.," Spike said with a joking tone to his voice and a sly smile on his face as he looked back over his shoulder at an indecisive Buffy.  
  
"Thanks a lot Spike.," Buffy muttered under her breath as she squeezed Spike's neck again, but this time much harder, before she sighed and rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to win this one am I.," she continued as she looked over at Dawn with a tired look on her face and in her eyes.  
  
"Not in this lifetime.," Billy said with a slight chuckle before Conner stepped up with a concerned and slightly annoyed look on his face.  
  
"Do you two know how to fight.if not you shouldn't accompany us.you'd just slow us down," Conner said firmly as he crossed his arms and tried to look as imposing as possible, hoping that his words and stance would scare Dawn and Billy from their current course of action.  
  
"Hey.we can fight.somewhat.Buffy's been teaching us all summer.," Dawn said very proudly at first before he tone changed to more of a meek one as she noticed both Wesley and Giles casting her confused looks.  
  
"Buffy.," Giles said with a stern look on his face as he tried to sound as authoritative and wise as he could.  
  
"What.I didn't show them anything to hard.really I didn't.," Buffy said with a defensive tone to her voice before being rescued by Spike.  
  
"Don't worry Rupert.we'll keep a close eye on them.right luv," Spike said with a confident look on his face and tone to his voice before he turned back to Buffy as Giles spoke up.  
  
"Spike.in the future please call me Giles.but back to the debate at hand.well Buffy," Giles said with a slightly angry look on his face and tone to his voice before it softened and he turned to Buffy.  
  
"I know I'm going to regret this.fine Dawn.you and Billy can come with us.but Spike and I can't hold your hand the whole way," Buffy said with a overwhelmed look on her face as she shook her head.  
  
"Really.great.oh and you won't have to.I.we promise.right Billy," Dawn squealed with a very excited smile on her face as she almost hopped right out of her chair, only Billy sitting beside her kept her seated.  
  
"Of course.wherever Dawn goes I go.," Billy said with a loving and protective look on his face and tone in his voice as he putting a calming arm around a jubilant Dawn.  
  
"Well then it's settled.now we can only pray that tonight's patrols prove to be more.fruitful then yesterdays.," Giles said as he slowly pulled out his white handkerchief and began to clean his glasses. "Not unless our luck changes," Buffy said with a sarcastic tone to her voice and an unhappy look on her face as she slowly shook her head.  
  
"Well then let's hope it does shall we," Wesley said with a forced optimistic tone to his voice as he rested his head on Faith's shoulder.  
  
"So when do we leave," Dawn said with an exuberant look on her face as Willow solemnly walked out of the living room and trudged up the stairs.  
  
"After the sun goes down.," Angel said with an impatient frown on his face as he warily glanced outside at the remaining rays of sunlight.  
  
"Then that means that we still have some time left.right.," Spike said with a big smirk on his face as he cocked an eyebrow and grinned back at Buffy, who looked slightly confused as to what he was saying.  
  
"Spike what.oh.," Buffy started to say with a confused look on her face before she caught on to Spike's hints and smiled before she continued. "Not now Spike.but who knows.if you're a good boy tonight.," she said out loud at first before she leaned over and whispered the rest into Spike's ear.  
  
"What's up with you two.," Cordelia said looking at Spike and Buffy with a thoroughly confused and concerned look on her face.  
  
"Nothing that need concern you Ms Chase.," Spike said with a small snicker before he stood up and turned to Buffy. "Can we talk.outside.," he said with a firm but gentle look on his face as Buffy furrowed her brows in momentary confusion before Spike calmly nodded his head and she relented and followed him outside.  
  
"So what was so important that you had to pull me out here to talk to me.," Buffy said with a slightly concerned look on her face as she crossed her arms and leaned up against the nearby tree.  
  
"Nothing that you should worry your pretty little head about luv.just thought with Peaches kid coming with us and all.we might want to make sure we have our stories straight.," Spike said with a deep sigh as he turned full into the light breeze that wafted through the backyard. "Why should we worry about Conner coming with us.," Buffy said with an expectant look on her face as she cocked her head forward slightly.  
  
"Well he probably knows all about you and Angel.back then.when you two.," Spike said with an ever increasing look of discomfort on his face and in his stance as he slowly turned to face Buffy, but avoided her gaze.  
  
"So what.Angel and I are over and have been for a very long time.besides he's moved on.and so have I.," Buffy said the first part with almost a wistful look on her face before it changed to an ever increasing smile as she got to the end, all the while she walked over to Spike.  
  
"Glad to hear it luv.," Spike started to say before he noticed that mere inches now separated him and Buffy. With a slightly hesitant hand he slowly reached up and softly caressed her cheek, which elicited a smile from Buffy, whose own hand was soon at the exact same place on Spike's cheek.  
  
"What if somebody sees us.," Buffy started to say before he voice failed her as in truth she decided that she didn't care anymore if anyone knew that she and Spike were together again. Before Spike could respond she leaned forward and pressed her lips against his, locking them in a deep and passionate kiss that neither seemed to ever want to break. What finally broke them up was when a small squeaking sound was heard from the direction of the house. After breaking the kiss Buffy turned slightly and saw Dawn standing in the doorway with an excited look on her face and looking as if she was about to cry.  
  
"What's.oh hi Bit.," Spike said flushing red with embarrassment for the first time in over a century as he hung his head slightly and took a small step back as Billy and Dawn walked towards the new couple.  
  
"Buffy.what.are you and Spike.," Dawn sputtered out with and exasperated look on her face before it turned to a very hopeful look.  
  
"Yes Dawn.Spike and I.are back together.," was all the Buffy could get out before she was engulfed by the warmest and happiest hug from Dawn that she thought she had ever received, as the younger Summers began to cry happy tears. Billy and Spike meanwhile exchanged silent pleasantries with a slight nod of their heads and a slightly embarrassed look over at the two women that they loved. Spike had only met Billy a few days earlier but he could already tell how deeply the feelings went between him and Dawn, and he hoped that they would only continue and hopefully grow.  
  
"Buffy.I'm so happy.Spike," Dawn cried out with nothing but joy and merriment in her voice and on her face as she stopped hugging Buffy only long enough to cover the distance between her and Spike before she threw her arms around Spike and gave him a hearty hug, which in response Spike could only cough slightly as he felt all the air escaping his body.  
  
"Uh Dawn.he needs to breathe.remember.," Billy said with a slightly concerned and embarrassed look on his face as he walked up and laid a hand on Dawn's shoulder. Seconds later Dawn seemed to get the message and let go of Spike as she took a couple of small steps back and just stared back and forth between Spike and Buffy.  
  
"Sorry.," Dawn said meekly as she shuffled her feet and turned and looked over at Billy before laying her head on his shoulder and slipping an arm around his waist.  
  
"I don't know about either of you, but I have the funny feeling that this is going to be one hell of a night," Billy said with a broad smile before the quartet broke into a relieving fit of laughter.  
  
"What's so funny," a voice from behind them said as the sun began to slow slip beneath the horizon. They all turned to see Conner walking towards them with an impatient and confused look on his face.  
  
"Nothing you'd understand.," Spike said with a slightly angry look on his face before he felt Buffy's hand slip into his.  
  
"Try me.," Conner said with an arrogant smirk on his face as he continued walking until he was shoulder to shoulder with Billy.  
  
END OF CHAPTER 23 


	24. Chapter 24

OF THINGS TO COME  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the new ones that I created.  
  
CHAPTER 24  
  
After Conner had approached them in the backyard Buffy had quickly dragged Spike back into the house, desperately hoping to avoid any kind of confrontation. Conner had just glared at them but otherwise didn't move as he watched them enter the house, with a concerned Dawn and Billy close behind. Conner stood motionless outside for several minutes before he finally walked back into the house and bumped into Buffy as she came back into the living room.  
  
"Oh.Conner.sorry about that.," Buffy said with a frustrated look on her face as she crossed her arms and smiled faintly.  
  
"Why did you.," Conner asked with a slightly angry look on his face as he leaned back up against the wall and glared slightly at Buffy.  
  
"I just didn't want you and Spike to start arguing and then there'd be the fighting.and the hurting.," Buffy started to say with a smile before she frowned as she got the end of her explanation.  
  
"Why would we start arguing.I only wished to know what was so humorous," Conner said with a slightly bewildered look on his face as he furrowed his brows.  
  
"I don't know.but your father and Spike often started arguing at the drop of a hat.and you're so much like him it's scary.," Buffy said with a slight concerned and worried look on her face before she forced herself to smile.  
  
"I'm nothing like him," Conner said with a stern look on his face and tone to his voice before he turned and stormed off, almost hitting Willow as he went.  
  
"You know a little excuse me would have been nice.so what was that all about," Willow said with a worried and concerned look on her face as she looked back and forth between Buffy and Conner as he walked out of the living room.  
  
"Nothing that I want to get into right now.so how you holding up.," Buffy said with a frustrated sigh as she slowly shook her head before presenting a warm smile to Willow.  
  
"Okay.I guess.I mean I get the whole protect the Willow thing you're all doing.but I feel like I should be doing something.," Willow said with a shrug of her shoulders and a meek smile on her face before the smile turned into a small frown.  
  
"But you are doing something Willow.you are.you're staying out of their hands.and you brought Spike back.," Buffy said at first with a reassuring smile on her face before she wrapped her arms around Willow and hugged her tightly as she said the last part.  
  
"I did didn't I.," Willow said with a sly smile after Buffy released her from the hug. "And should I take it that things are going well between you and Spike.," she asked with a knowing look on her face as she winked and nodded her head.  
  
"You could say that.after the talk we had earlier.yeah I think things are going to turn out alright for us.," Buffy said with a happy smile on her face.  
  
"I'm glad for you Buffy.and I'm happy that you and Spike got the chance to have such a long -talk-," Willow said at first with a slight nod of her head and a sparkle in her eye before she patted Buffy on the shoulder with a big smile on her face. For several seconds all Buffy could do is blush a deep red. But luckily for her it was only minutes before the sun slipped completely beneath the horizon and it was time to go.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
Twenty minutes, and more than one kiss goodbye from Cordelia later, Angel, Gunn, and Wesley found themselves in the high school's parking lot. Angel had chosen a long sword while both Gunn and Wesley had a battle axe. They had spent most of the walk over in silence, broken only by Gunn making a random observation about some aspect of Sunnydale.  
  
"What makes you so sure they'll come back," Gunn said with an unhappy frown on his face as he looked around the parking lot.  
  
"The Hellmouth.they always come back.trust me," Angel said with a solemn look on his face and tone to his voice as he tightened his grip on his sword.  
  
"We can hope that the demons that attacked Faith and I don't return.because I still haven't figured out a way to defeat them," Wesley said with a small sigh as he looked over at Gunn.  
  
"Who cares.after last night I need to see some action.," Angel said with an impatient tone to his voice as he softly sniffed the air.  
  
"Hey Wes.gotten any parenting tips yet," Gunn said with a sarcastic smile on his face and tone to his voice as he lightly elbowed Wesley in the ribs.  
  
"No.I haven't.and I can't ask my father.the Council would find out and most likely try and kidnap Faith before the baby is born.and then I'd never see either one of them again," Wesley said with an ever increasing sense of dread to the tone of his voice and look on his face.  
  
"Just don't ask me for any fatherly advice.I'm not to good in that department," Angel said with a casual look back before he shook his head and walked up to the high schools front doors.  
  
"Come on man, you did pretty good with Conner before.before.," Gunn said with at first a joking smile on his face before he realized where he was going and let his voice falter and then trail off.  
  
"Before I took him away," Wesley said sternly with a frown on his face as he walked past Gunn without hesitating a glance in his direction.  
  
"Yeah.," Gunn said with an unhappy frown on his face before he mumbled to himself and then joined Angel and Wesley by the high school's front doors, just as Angel kicked one of them in.  
  
"Well here goes nothing.," Angel said with an expectant tone to his voice as look on his face as he slowly made his way into the school with his sword at ready, followed closely behind by Gunn and Wesley.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
That same twenty minutes had found Buffy and Spike having already arrived at Spike's old crypt, and Buffy had sent Dawn and Billy to look around to see if they could find anything. Only Conner refused to go to far away, seemingly expecting an attack or some sort of fight at any second. This action only seemed to irritate Spike while making Buffy even more nervous than she already was.  
  
"So this is where you used to reside.," Conner said with a less than impressed look on his face as he looked around the cemetery.  
  
"Yep.this was home sweet home.it wasn't pretty but it worked.," Spike said with a slightly confident air about him as he smiled and shuffled his feet.  
  
  
  
"What a dump.," Conner said with an unimpressed scowl on his face before he walked off, leaving Spike to only be able to glare at his back.  
  
"Easy Spike.he's just trying to rattle you," Buffy said with a supportive look on her face as she laid a hand on Spike's arm.  
  
"He's doing a bloody good job of it to, Peaches must have been teaching him.," Spike started to say with an angry look on his face before it changed to a smile at the end, as both he and Buffy shared a short laugh at the thought.  
  
"Come on Spike.we'd better go make sure that Dawn and Billy are actually doing what they're supposed to be doing," Buffy said with an impatient sigh as she slowly shook her head and stomped off.  
  
"No need to worry luv.Bit wouldn't do anything like that.," Spike said with a hopeful smile on his face as he took off after Buffy. After several minutes of walking Spike and Buffy rounded a corner and found Dawn, Billy, and Conner squatted down in front of an old tombstone. Dawn and Billy each had their stakes out but Conner didn't seem very alarmed at whatever it was that he was looking at.  
  
"Hey Dawn.what's up," Buffy said with a hopeful look on her face as she and Spike approached the trio.  
  
"Wha.oh Buffy.Spike.look what we found," Dawn said with a slightly embarrassed but definitely proud look on her face as she turned and looked back and up at her older sister. Buffy squatted down beside Dawn and then brushed a small pile of dirt before she found out what Dawn and Billy had found, for sitting right in front of her was a large hole.  
  
"Great Dawn.you found a hole.," Buffy said with a less than impressed look on her face as she stood back up and brushed the dirt off of her hands with a sarcastic look towards a smiling Spike.  
  
"Great we've been at this for all of twenty minutes and all we've found is a bloody hole," Spike mused sarcastically as he shook his head and rolled his eyes.  
  
"It's more than that.hey.there's a ladder down here.," Billy said with at first a very excited tone to his voice before it changed to one of confusion as he began to slowly clear more dirt away from the hole.  
  
"What.," Conner said with at first a confused look on his face as he turned to Billy, who by now had cleared away enough dirt that it was obvious that the hole was something much more than Buffy had at first thought it to be. Before Spike or Buffy could kneel back down Billy was pulling an old wooden ladder up out of the hole.  
  
"Wait a minute.what would a ladder be doing in the hole.," Buffy said with a confused look on her face as she peered into the hole, noticing a faint glow from somewhere far down below.  
  
"There used to be some underground tunnels around here.but I thought that they had all collapsed.," Spike said as he smiled briefly at Buffy before hopping into the hole.  
  
"Spike.," was all that Dawn could get out as she watched Spike leap into the dark opening and disappear. Mere milliseconds before Buffy was about to join Dawn's cry they all heard Spike hit the bottom.  
  
"Spike.are you," Buffy started to say with an exasperated look on her face as she quickly thought about following Spike into the hole, but the more logical part of her brain rebelled and forced her to wait for Spike's response from the bottom of the hole.  
  
"Okay.sure luv.but I think next time I'll look before I leap," came Spike's cool but hurried reply that was touched with a little bit of humor.  
  
"You should have known that from the start," Dawn yelled down the hole with a relieved look on her face as beside her Billy stopped pulling the ladder, which he was now finding out was much longer than he thought, up and started to lower the ladder back into place. Conner meanwhile just watched them all with a contemplative look on his face as he slowly stood up and did not off any form of assistance.  
  
"Just like Angel.," Buffy thought with a small sigh as a smile crept over her face as she looked back and forth between Conner and the hole. With that Buffy began in earnest to help Billy lower the ladder back down into place. The ladder came to an abrupt end when she and Billy felt the bottom of the ladder collide with the floor of whatever was at the base of the hole.  
  
"Stay there Spike.we're coming down," Billy said with a determined but cautious look on his face before he looked up and smiled at Dawn, who returned the gesture.  
  
"Okay.Conner you first, then Dawn and Billy.I'll go last," Buffy said with almost a motherly tone to her voice as she stood up and glanced over at Conner, who seemed to no longer want any part of their excursion into the depths below the cemetery. "Conner come on.you're going first," she said with a pleading yet commanding tone to her voice as she lightly glared at Angel's son. Conner seemed to mull it over in his head for a few seconds before he shrugged and was on his way down the ladder before Buffy could even say anything.  
  
"I wonder if he's always like that," Billy quipped with a bemused smile on his face as he looked back and forth between Dawn and Buffy before he began to follow Conner down the hole.  
  
"I think so.," Dawn said with a small sigh as she shook her head and then began to follow Conner and Billy in their trek down the ladder into the unknown.  
  
"Great.this is just going great," Buffy said with a sarcastic look on her face and tone to her voice as she shook her head and then began to slowly climb down the ladder.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
"Hey Wes.you and Faith sure did a number on this place.it looks like World War 3 in here." Gunn said with an almost mocking smirk on his face as he Wesley and Angel slowly walked through the rubble of the high school.  
  
"Thank you Gunn.even though we were running for our very lives at the time.Faith and I thought that the school could use a little redecorating.she'll be so glad you noticed," Wesley snapped back with an angry tone to his voice and look on his face as he stormed off ahead of Gunn and Angel.  
  
"Nice one Gunn.," Angel said with a sarcastic smirk on his face before he shook his head and started off down a hall that led away from Gunn.  
  
"Great.just what I wanted to do.alienate Wes and get Angel mad.," Gunn thought with a frustrated frown on his face as he tightened his grip on his axe and noticed that he was standing right in front of the stairs. "Well ups the only way.," he said with a small sigh before he began to slowly trudge up the steps, making sure to watch his back to make sure that nothing was going to sneak up on him.  
  
While Angel veered off onto his own trek and Gunn checked upstairs Wesley decided to return to the gymnasium, seeing as how it had apparently been the demons and the Mayors point of entry in the school and it had been where they had concentrated most of their power. He had made sure to bring along more than one knife, with one at his belt and then the other he had hidden underneath his pant leg utilizing a special sheath that Faith had picked up for him at a sports show, something that Wesley had been surprised that she had asked him to go to. He finally deduced that the reason that she had wanted to go in the first place was because of all the weapons that were usually on display and available to be bought. That day they had bought a few knives and a couple of new bows.  
  
"Anyone here.," Wesley called out in an almost yell as he then listened intently to any sound or noise that would alert him to the fact that he wasn't alone. Unfortunately for him he was barely able to make out a familiar noise, that of something moving out in the darkness. "Great.just great," was the only thought that Wesley could muster before he ducked his head and rolled out of the way, barely dodging a large demon as it went charging past until it ran into the brick wall. Without a second thought Wesley turned to attack the now dazed and confused demon. But before he could finish the swing of his axe that he had aimed directly for the demon's neck one of it's strong legs shot out and knocked him into the air and sent him flying across the gym, finally stopping when he slammed into the stacked up bleachers with a loud booming sound. With a pained and sickly look on his face he slowly slid down the bleachers before he collapsed onto the floor, struggling to even sit up. It was then that he noticed the presence of a good number of other demons that were now seemingly moving in for the kill on their helpless prey. "This is not good," Wesley thought as he shook his head to clear his suddenly blurry vision.  
  
"Prepare to die filthy human.," a rather large demon garbled out as it opened its heavily fanged mouth and took a step towards Wesley.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
"What the heck is this," Dawn said with an uncomfortable frown on her face as she brushed some dirt that had fallen out of her hair. After the quintet had all descended to the bottom of the hole they had spent the next several minutes traveling through what they could only describe as a labyrinth of one dirt tunnel after another.  
  
"At least we don't have to crawl through," Billy said with a week smile of joy as he looked around at the shoddy condition of the surrounding walls.  
  
"Well then you'd better just keep your arms and legs away from the walls lest one of you cause a cave in," Spike said with a small snicker from the front of the group. Upon them all reaching the bottom Spike had chosen the point position with Dawn and Billy directly behind him and bringing up the rear were Conner and then Buffy, who wanted to take the trailing position so that she could make sure that nothing could sneak up on them.  
  
"Very funny.see anything," Billy said with a mock laugh as he rolled his eyes and then made sure that he was still holding the stake that Dawn had given him earlier.  
  
"Nothing yet.just more and more tunnel.look we've been going at this for a while now.for all we know this tunnel just keeps going and going.," Spike said with a less than enthusiastic tone to his voice and look on his face as he shone the torch, that he had picked up upon entering the tunnels, in front of him.  
  
"If you are weakening perhaps you should let someone stronger take point," Conner grumbled from the back as Buffy frowned and shook her head at how much he sounded like his father.  
  
"I'm fine whelp.I've been spelunking around in caves and tunnels like this since decades before you were born," Spike growled angrily back before he turned and stormed off further down the tunnel.  
  
"Smooth move bud.," Dawn said with an impatient frown on her face before she turned and hurried off after Spike, leaving Billy to only shrug his shoulders before following after his girlfriend.  
  
"Are you always like this or is this some kind of special occasion that I don't know about," Buffy muttered with an angry sigh as she glared up ahead at Conner, who turned around with a flash of anger in his eyes.  
  
"Like what.," Conner said with a slightly confused look on his face as he glared right back at Buffy.  
  
"Just like your father when he didn't get his way.that's what.," Buffy stated firmly with a commanding look on her face and tone in her voice.  
  
"I'm nothing like my father.," Conner yelled back angrily before he turned around in a huff and stormed off down the tunnel after the others.  
  
"No...of course not.," Buffy said with a large sigh as she shrugged her shoulders before trudging off down the tunnel, all the while wishing that the morning light would come quickly.  
  
END OF CHAPTER 24 


	25. Chapter 25

OF THINGS TO COME  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the new ones that I created.  
  
CHAPTER 25  
  
It was several minutes after Angel had split from Wesley and Gunn when the trail of demon blood that he had been following ended. He had only started back a few steps when he heard a low rumble that in fact was the sound of Wesley hitting the bleachers, causing Angel to tear off in a full run, sword at ready. He raced back through the halls as fast as he could before he skidded to a halt at the open door of the gymnasium. He entered the gym just as the demon pulled its arm back as it prepared to gut Wesley, who was now on his hands and knees. Angel covered the ground between them before one of the demons heard one of his footfalls and turned around, only to receive the point of Angel's sword right through its eye.  
  
"Angel," Wesley gasped out before he became overwhelmed by a fit of coughing as he tried to catch his breath.  
  
"I'm a.little busy right now Wes," Angel said with a scowl on his face as he blocked the claws of the first demon he neared with his sword before spinning around on his heel and lopping the demons hand off, causing it to grab its wrist and howl in pain as demon blood spewed everywhere.  
  
"Human filth.," the demon nearest Wesley howled in anger as it reached down and grabbed one of Wesley's legs before it started to haul him up into the air.  
  
"Bloody perfect," Wesley growled under his breath as he felt himself start to rise up into the air. Thinking quickly he was sure to grab his axe on the way up.  
  
"Now you die.human," the demon sputtered out as it brought Wesley's head up even with its jaws, covering Wesley almost head to toe with its saliva.  
  
"Wes," Angel yelled out with a slightly concerned look on his face as he ducked under a claw slash and saw the predicament that Wesley had found himself in.  
  
"I'm.fine," Wesley growled back as the demon opened its jaws and began to swing Wesley near them. But before the demon could take a bite Wesley pulled hard on his axe and swung it upward as hard as he could, catching the shocked demon square in the throat. The newly sharpened blade cut deep into the demons neck, causing a gushing torrent of dark demon blood to come pouring out, covering Wesley in the process.  
  
"Stay there," Angel yelled over the howling of the demon nearest him before he drove his sword straight into the demons heart, killing it.  
  
"Don't have much.," Wesley began to say before the demon whose neck he had sliced open began to violently stagger around before dropping him straight on his head. Wesley barely had enough time to right himself before he looked up and saw, to his horror, the dying demon falling straight at him. Rolling quickly out of the way Wesley was able to avoid being flattened by the demon as it dropped to the floor with a loud crash just behind him. The next several minutes were a blur to both Wesley and Angel as their instincts took over and the took the fight to the startled demons who had once held the overwhelming advantage, and were now finding themselves on the backs of their heels, trying simply to survive.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
Gunn meanwhile was having a much less -exciting- night that Angel and Wesley. He had climbed the stairs without any hassle but then had quickly discovered that he had become lost in the upstairs level of Sunnydale High School. He had finally thought that he knew where he was again when he got the sinking feeling that someone, or something, was hot on his trail. "Who's there," Gunn said in almost a half whisper as he stopped in the middle of the hallway and readied his axe at his side. He waited for several seconds and was about to continue on down the hall when he heard the reply.  
  
"Yo mamma.," a mocking voice called out from somewhere in the darkness, causing Gunn to almost jump out of his skin as he frantically looked up and down the hallway.  
  
"What.," Gunn answered back with a slightly confused look on his face as he brought the blade of his axe so that it was level with his eye line.  
  
"You mamma's so fat.," the voice called out again in an even more mocking tone before Gunn heard something land behind him and then say, "that she takes -that takes the cake- literally." As Gunn spun around all he heard was cheerful laughter.  
  
"Who the hell.," Gunn sputtered out before his eyes met his adversaries, but only so long before Gunn readied his axe and was about to charge when the figure held up his hands.  
  
"Okay.you got me.I surrender.just don't slice me open.," the figure said with a cheery smile and seemed almost to calm for the situation.  
  
"What the.who are you.," Gunn stammered out as he cautiously kept his distance from what to him looked like just your average middle aged man in a business suit.  
  
"Sorry if I scared you.but do you mind.uh.thank you," the figure started to say with a scared look on his face before he put his hands down as Gunn slowly and cautiously lowered his axe.  
  
"What are you doing here.," Gunn said with a slightly angry and determined tone to his voice as he eyed the man standing in front of him warily.  
  
"Just getting some of my books.I.," the figure started to say with a cautious smile before a large shadow loomed up behind Gunn, causing him to turn around nervously.  
  
"What the.," was all Gunn could get out before a dart struck him in the shoulder. Mere milliseconds later Gunn collapsed to the floor unconscious with only a rather ugly demon and the Mayor standing over him.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
"Alright.anyone got the faintest idea where we're going," Dawn quipped with a tired and slightly scared look on her face as she looked back towards Buffy and Conner.  
  
"We're following the tunnels.but to answer your question.no I have absolutely no idea where the hell we are," Billy said with an unhappy and slightly tired look on his face as he looked at the walls of the tunnel as he went by. They had been traveling through the tunnels for some time and so far had found nothing, a fact that was beginning to upset Buffy.  
  
"Maybe we should turn back.try a different branch of the tunnel.maybe we'll find something then," Conner added with an unimpressed and disapproving look on his face as he crossed his arms and glared back and forth between Spike and Buffy.  
  
"What do you think pet, should we go back like Peaches little boy wants to.," Spike started to say, all the while taking great pleasure at the glares he received from Conner, as he looked back through the tunnel at Buffy before then continuing, " Or should we just press on and hope we find something?"  
  
"We should go back.all the way back topside.and then regroup and come back here with everyone.," Buffy said after a short time taken to mull over their options.  
  
"My father never told me that you were a coward.shame.I expected better," Conner stated simply with an emotionless but slightly disapproving look on his face as he slowly shook his head in disgust.  
  
"Son of a bitch.," Spike growled in true anger as he rushed past Dawn and Billy and even though Conner was the spawn of two vampires and had their quickness and agility found himself slammed up against the wall of the tunnel with one of Spike's hands squeezing his throat and the former vampire trying to glare a hole right through him.  
  
"Spike," Dawn shouted with a surprised and fearful look on her face and tone to her voice as rushed by Billy to stand beside Spike. Conner meanwhile made not attempt to free himself, he seemed to be almost enjoying how Spike had reacted to his words.  
  
"Spike.Conner.you know I should let him teach you a lesson.but then I'd never hear the end of it from Angel.or Xander," Buffy started to say with an angry look on her face before it changed to a more tired one at the end.  
  
  
  
"Go ahead.I can take him," Conner said with flat and emotionless look on his face and tone in his voice as he glared right back at Spike, who seemed to be growing more irritated by the minute.  
  
"Like to see ya try boy.," Spike growled back with a fighting mad look on his face before he felt Buffy's hand on his arm and her staring at him. With a reluctant sigh Spike slowly turned to look at her. And after taking one look into his eyes Spike shrugged his shoulders and relaxed his grip on Conner before shoving the young man away from the group. "You wouldn't last five minutes with me old man," Conner said in a mocking tone of voice with a sly smile on his face as he stood up and brushed himself off.  
  
"Old man.why you bloody.," Spike growled with a murderous intent in his eye and would have gone after Conner had Dawn not stepped in front of him and Buffy latched onto one of his arms.  
  
"Spike no.," Buffy said with a pleading yet commanding tone to her voice as she tightened her grip on Spike's arm until she saw him wince slightly.  
  
"Please Spike.remember why we're here," Dawn said pleadingly with a very frightened look on her face as she brought her hands up to motion for Spike to stay where he was.  
  
"To find the wonkers that want to find Red and use her to raise that damn demonic temple," Spike sputter out through almost gritted teeth before he broke free of Buffy's grasp and stormed off down the tunnel, all without even cautioning a glance Conner's way.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
"Faith.could you maybe calm down.all you're pacing is kind of making me nauseous," Xander said meekly as he stared up at the frantically pacing and pregnant slayer in front of him.  
  
"I don't care that I'm pregnant and look like a fucking hippo.I should be out there.don't know why I listened to Wes anyway," Faith growled back as she stopped for a second, glared straight at Xander who meekly shrank back in his seat, and then continued to pace, all the while checking her watch in between short glances out the window.  
  
"But you.you're baby.what if something.h-happened.to it.I mean.him.her .you'd never forgive yourself," Willow stammered out with a slightly embarrassed but yet hopeful look on her face as she looked up at Faith, who stood standing nearby and glaring down at her.  
  
"I'll never forgive myself.or you.if Wesley doesn't come back and makes me raise this kid alone," Faith shot back with an angry look on her face that masked her true feelings of fear beneath.  
  
"Now Faith.you mustn't let your fears get the best of you.it's not good for the baby," Giles said in a slightly condescending tone of voice as he looked up from the ancient text that he had been deciphering.  
  
"Yeah.I mean there are studies that have proven that a mother's stress can.," was all Fred could get out before being silenced by an icy glare from Faith, who then grabbed a sword that Xander had left lying on the coffee table and headed downstairs, all in a huff.  
  
"Well that went well don't you think," Anya said looking around with a wide eyed and innocent look on her face, one that had quickly become her trademark.  
  
"Only if you count the fact that we're all still alive.then you could say that it went well," Cordelia said softly without taking her eyes off of the window.  
  
"Well aren't you a happy camper," Xander added with a sarcastic smile on his face before Cordelia glanced back at with an angry look on her face.  
  
"Shut up Xander," Fred said with a touch of anger in her voice as she glared over at him before she noticed that everyone in the room was staring at her with confused and alarmed looks on their faces. "Oh what.you know somebody had to say it," she said with a small sigh and wave of her hand.  
  
"Yes well.," Giles started to say with a reprimanding tone to his voice, almost in a reflex action, before he stopped with an embarrassed look on his face.  
  
"I'm going to go check the windows.make sure they're all shut and locked.so no baddie can get it," Xander sputtered out nervously as he slowly rose from his seat and then walked out of the living room.  
  
"And.and I'll go.uh.I'll go.guess I won't go anywhere," Willow said nervously as she watched Xander go while also rising from her seat before remembering why she was at the house and she then sat back down with a frown on her face.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
Once Wesley had regained his composure and was able to fight back it didn't take him and Angel long to slay the remaining demons in the gym. Both were now almost completely covered in demon blood and assorted inner organs from head to toe. Angel had gotten through the fight mostly unscathed but by the time the last of the demons in the gym was dead Wesley was starting to falter, as his strength was begging to ebb and he hadn't had sufficient time to recover after the previous nights attack.  
  
"You okay Wes," Angel asked with a concerned look on his face as he cautiously made his way over to Wesley, who had taken a knee to try and catch his breath.  
  
"I will be.I just need a little time to recover," Wesley said through labored breaths as he tried to stand up, but had to resort to leaning slightly on his axe to keep himself standing.  
  
"You think that's all of them," Angel asked with a slightly worried look on his face as he slowly made his way in between the demon corpses at his feet, making sure that they were all dead.  
  
"Only if our luck changes.we should find Gunn," Wesley said as he seemed to get his second wind and started walking towards the gym's door with his axe resting on his shoulder.  
  
"Yeah.he took the stairs when we split up," Angel said with a scowl on his face as he slowly nodded his head and followed Wesley out of the gym and back down the hall towards the stairs. It didn't take them long to get back to the stairs and a few seconds later they were in the school's upper level, weapons at ready. They hadn't gone to far when they discovered Gunn's axe lying on the floor with some blood nearby.  
  
"Look.blood," Angel said with a slightly concerned look on his face as he slowly bent down beside the small pool of blood.  
  
"You think it's Gunn's," Wesley said with an angry and slightly worried scowl on his face as he nervously looked back and forth between Angel and the small pool of blood.  
  
"Don't know, but for right now I think that we should assume that it's entirely possible that it is his blood, he could be wounded," Angel said with a cautious look around and an impatient frown on his face.  
  
"I'll take this hallway, you go that way," Wesley said with a slightly worried look on his face as he slowly started walking away from Angel and pointing towards a nearby hallway.  
  
"Alright.but don't try and be a hero, if you find anything come back and get me," Angel said with an unhappy frown on his face as he and Wesley then nodded in solemn agreement before each went their separate way.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
After the confrontation between Spike and Conner Buffy had made sure to keep a very close eye on Angel's son, hoping that she wouldn't have to get in-between them if they went at it again. For his part Spike had gone out of his way to not look back, even when Dawn had tripped on a tree root and almost fallen. Billy had been close enough to stop her descent and prop her back up. Conner however had kept the arrogant smirk on his face that Buffy had to admit was really starting to annoy the hell out of her. She was even beginning to regret even bringing Conner along when the motley crew of fighters entered a large cavern lit only by torches.  
  
"What is this," Billy asked with a slightly worried look on his face as he glanced back at Buffy.  
  
"Got me.but whatever it is it can't be good," Buffy said with a sigh and small shrug of her shoulders as she finally entered the cavern and began to look around.  
  
"Have you seen anything like this before Spike," Dawn said with a tangible drop of fear in her voice as she stepped up beside the former vampire.  
  
"Yeah.once.but it wasn't a very pleasant experience.," Spike said with a forced calm voice that Buffy could tell belayed a hint of fear, something that she didn't like to see in Spike at this particular moment.  
  
"What happened," Conner asked outright with a very expectant look on his face as he glared over at Spike, who gritted his teeth to keep from putting the young man in his place.  
  
"It was a big vampire meeting.only thing was at the time I was a newbie.," Spike said slowly as he turned back to face Buffy and she was horrified at both the look on his face and the tone of his voice.  
  
"Uh guys.we got trouble," Billy said nervously as he staggered back a few steps and stopped beside Spike, just as one vampire after another began to rush into the cavern from tunnel entrances on the other side of the cavern. In seconds they were completely outnumbered.  
  
END OF CHAPTER 25 


	26. Chapter 26

OF THINGS TO COME  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the ones that I created.  
  
Chapter 26  
  
After splitting up with Angel Wesley had started off down his hallway, keeping an eye behind him knowing how demons love to sneak up on their victims before they attack. He hadn't found a thing, and that was beginning to worry him. He found himself mentally comparing the old school and the new one, where almost everything seemed to have changed, from the placement of the library to the size of the classrooms. He hadn't spent to long in the old school but had made a point of exploring it. He had even made it a point to begin making a map of the entire town, marking vampire and demon haunts along with sightings and attack areas. He had just gotten done comparing the two different versions of the school cafeteria when he almost tripped over something.  
  
"What the hell," Wesley said with a confused and slightly alarmed look on his face as he caught himself before he could fall and looked down at his feet to see what he had tripped over. To his relief he discovered that he had tripped over a chunk of brick that had broken off from the wall. Mentally scolding himself for almost tripping over such a trivial thing Wesley was about to continue on down the hall when he thought he saw something flash through the air down at the end of the hallway that he was cautiously making his way down. With a confused and hesitant grimace on his face he quickly made his way down to the end of the hall. The sight that greeted him almost made him gag, for piled up like trophies were the bodies of at least a dozen unfortunate people.  
  
He slowly made his way towards the bodies, tightly gripping his axe, as he slowly and cautiously began to search about the bodies, hoping to find something.anything that could help him figure out exactly who, or what had killed the people and then stacked their bodies. He found items of little use, other than so that the bodies could be identified later for burial, like social security cards, driver's licenses and video club cards. He was about to bend down and pick up one of the driver's licenses when he heard an oddly familiar laugh that seemed to be coming from just down the hallway. The laugh was one that he had wished that he would never hear again. He quietly made his way to the end of the hall and hesitated before he slowly and cautiously poked his head around the corner. The sight that greeted him was not a happy one, for midway down the hall he saw Gunn lying unconscious on the floor being guarded closely by two large demons and a grinning Mayor. * * * * * * * * *  
  
Spike and Buffy instantly made sure that they were in between the vampires and Dawn and Billy. Conner on the other hand seemed to not have any battle plan and simply be prepared for a long battle. For what seemed like an eternity the vampires kept their distance, as if waiting for the attack command to be given. Buffy could tell that Dawn was nervous, because she almost dropped her stake. Buffy situated herself so that when the vampires attacked she'd have plenty of room to fight back. Through the confusion Buffy could see Spike doing much the same thing, with many looks back at Dawn.  
  
The vampires kept coming until they nearly filled the chamber, pushing Buffy, Spike, and the others back towards the tunnel opening. Spike and Buffy held their swords at ready, with Spike having jammed the torch into the ground directly in front of him. Conner had a stake in each hand and looked ready to fight. The fight seemed about ready to happen when all of the vampires suddenly snapped to attention as they saw the identity of the newest vampire that entered the chamber. Conner squinted to try and see who it was, but even if the chamber had been well lit he would not have known who it was, but Spike only needed half a glance to know exactly who it was. For the first time since becoming a human again Spike wished that he was still a vampire. Because stepping slowly into the chamber was who he thought he'd love unconditionally forever, but that had been before he'd met Buffy, and his world had never been the same.  
  
Out into the chamber strode the one woman that could very well destroy the fragile new peace that Buffy had found with Spike. Drusilla, the undeniably evil and insane vampire that had turned Spike decades earlier, stood in amongst a small group of demons with an arrogant smirk on her face. She slowly looked over the quintet, her eyebrows raising angrily a bit as her gaze fell on Spike and Buffy. Dawn and Billy meanwhile only looked on with confused looks on their faces as they tried to figure out exactly who this new vampire was and why Spike and Buffy had almost frozen in their tracks upon sight of her, especially Spike who now seemed to almost be in a trance.  
  
"Dawn stay behind me, don't let them split us up," Buffy said nervously under her breath as she took a step backwards towards Dawn and Billy.  
  
"Buffy.who is that.you know her don't you, Spike does to," Dawn asked with an extremely nervous look on her face and tone to her voice.  
  
"Drusilla, her name is Drusilla, and yes she knows Spike, she's the one that turned him into a vampire in the first place.," Buffy said back excited with a nervous look on her own face and was about to continue to describe Drusilla when Spike interjected the rest of what she would have said in his own unique way.  
  
"And she's a bloody loon, crazy in the head, don't trust a damn word she says," Spike muttered under his breath but loud enough for Dawn, Billy, and Conner to hear him.  
  
"So then it's no different then how I should treat you, good.," Conner said with a happy smirk on his face as he saw the glare that Spike threw his way.  
  
"Stop fighting you two," Buffy started to say with an angry tone to her voice before she was interrupted by Drusilla as she stepped to the forefront of the congregation of vampires.  
  
"What do we have here.the slayer, the turncoat, and the slayer's little sister and her boyfriend.and.I don't know you," Drusilla said with an almost mocking tone to her voice as she looked over each member of the group before her gaze fell on Conner, as she then gave him a peculiar look.  
  
  
  
"No matter, you'll be dust soon enough," Conner said with an arrogant smirk on his face as he readied a stake to drive it through Drusilla's heart.  
  
"Oh he's a funny wonker ain't he, just like his father he is," Drusilla said with a fake hurt look on her face and a soft tone to her voice as she smiled and cocked her head to one side.  
  
"You're wrong, I'm nothing like my father," Conner said with an angry scowl on his face as he took a step towards Drusilla.  
  
"Just like Angelus, always the impatient one," Drusilla said with a broad smile on her face as she took a step back before she broke into a giddy laugh that seemed to only make Conner even angrier than he already was.  
  
"I said I'm.," Conner started to say with an extremely angry glare aimed at Drusilla before Spike interrupted.  
  
"You'll back away Dru.if you know what's good for you," Spike interjected with a grim look on his face as he set his sights on Drusilla, who glared back at him with a look in her eye that more resembled someone whose puppy had just bitten them in the ass rather than as a former lover that had switched sides.  
  
"What.what was that.did someone say something," Drusilla said with a large smile on her face as she pretended to be trying to hear something.  
  
"Quit playing your games Drusilla, we have a little unfinished business to attend to," Buffy said with a determined look on her face and tone to her voice as she angrily took a step towards Drusilla.  
  
"Ooh the slayer's mad at me.," Drusilla said with a mocking tone to her voice and a large smile on her face as she then took a step forward and said, "Kill them all."  
  
At her words the vampire horde descended on them with murderous gleams in their eyes. The first to react was Conner as he met the oncoming vampires halfway and was soon all but lost in the sea of death. Spike was also soon engulfed by a wave of vampires, and try as he might he soon lost sight of Dawn and Buffy. For her part Buffy had staked a pair of vampires before she lost sight of Dawn and her heart rose into her throat when she thought she heard Dawn scream. In reality Dawn and Billy were doing better than there more experienced allies as they could still see each other and were soon fighting literally back to back, although it was clearly apparent that they couldn't last to long before they were overrun. Soon after that Spike managed to force his way back towards Billy and Dawn, finally catching sight of them just as a vampire was about to catch them off guard.  
  
"Dawn look out.behind you," Spike yelled as loudly as he could as the vampire kept getting closer and closer to her. Upon hearing Spike's words Dawn spun around and was barely able to dodge an oncoming vampire whose punch nearly connected with her jaw. Instead that vamp was soon turned to a pile of dust as Billy drove his stake straight into its heart.  
  
"Thanks," Dawn squeaked out with a relieved smile on her face as she looked back and up at Billy, who shared her smile.  
  
"Anytime," Billy said with a smile before a vampire caught him from behind in a large bear hug and started to pull him back and away from Dawn, who feverishly scrambled to her feet.  
  
"Billy," Dawn screamed in both fear and anger as she launched herself towards the vampire that had grabbed him but several jumped into her path and forced her back. Dawn charged the vampires blocking her path and had dusted a trio of them before she again caught sight of Billy, who was fighting with all his might to free himself form his current predicament.  
  
While Billy was fighting against his attacker Spike was trying his best to make it through the crowd of vampires and get to Drusilla. Although the vampires fought hard Spike was far more experience and dispatched with relative ease those directly in his path. The first two vampires to approach him exploded in clouds of dust before they could even change into their game faces. Soon those two were followed by more and more of his former brethren, and Spike could care less them.  
  
Buffy meanwhile struggled to keep herself from being overwhelmed after a fast start, and hearing Dawn scream Billy's name wasn't helping matters. After a short time of thinking her way through the fight she relented and let her slayer side take control, which led to even more vampires becoming piles of dust. She managed to get back to Dawn's side just as her younger sister again lost sight of her boyfriend. "Dawn.what's wrong," Buffy said exasperated as she landed a punch to the chin of a nearby and advancing vampire.  
  
"Billy," was all that Dawn could get out with an extremely scared and worried look on her face as she staked another vampire.  
  
"Don't worry I'll get him," Buffy said with a grim look on her face before she almost literally threw herself into the mass of vampires that sought to overwhelm them. The fighting went on for what seemed like forever as vampire after vampire was reduced to dust, however it seemed that for every vampire that was staked two more took its place. All the while Billy, try as he might, could not get out of the bear hug that the vampire had used to split him up from Dawn. He could almost feel the vampire's fangs as it leaned down to feast on his blood. But suddenly he felt the grip loosen and then release all together as he felt the vampire disintegrate behind him. He turned around slowly and came face to face with a stake wielding Conner.  
  
"Thanks man.I thought I was a goner," Billy choked out as he bent over to try and catch his breath as well as retrieve the stake that he had dropped.  
  
  
  
"Whatever," was all Conner said before he turned around and ran off to continue the fight, leaving Billy kneeling on the ground surrounded by hungry vampires.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
Wesley took a few seconds to run a few different scenarios through his brain, but all seemed to end up the same way, with him dying before he could rescue Gunn. And right now his death was the last thing that would help anyone and was something to be avoided at almost all costs, especially with a child on the way. Begrudgingly he slowly backed away from the corner and almost jumped out of his skin when he turned around and came almost face to face with Angel. Wesley almost had to gag Angel to keep him from talking as he nodded his head slightly towards the corner and Angel seemed to get what he was trying to tell him as he slowly stepped to the corner and took a look for himself. Seconds later Angel turned back to Wesley with a somber and serious look on his face.  
  
"That's not good," Angel whispered hoarsely as he looked back and forth between Wesley and the corner.  
  
"Tell me something I don't know.we need a plan, we can't just go charging in there, he'll kill Gunn," Wesley said with a deadly serious look on his face as he nervously clenched and unclenched his free hand.  
  
"Okay.I'll sneak around and come at him from behind while you hit them from the front, maybe we can get the demon to attack me and then you can take care of the Mayor, who looks human enough.," Angel said at first with a thoughtful look on his face before it changed to one of concern and almost dread.  
  
"Well if we're going to do this then we'd better get going, the sun will probably be coming up pretty soon and we'd better have you back to Buffy's before that or else Cordelia will have a heart attack," Wesley said with at first a grim look on his face before he finished his short speech with a wide smile on his face.  
  
"Either that or she'd regale me all day with how worried she was.let's just do this and get it over with," Angel said with a smile before his look darkened as he then moved away from Wesley down the hall and disappeared around the corner.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Back at Buffy's house the situation had degraded from its earlier dreadful predicament as now Giles was forced to post someone at every exit to keep Faith from going out to try and help. Although she tried to hide it Giles could see that as the hours grew later Faith's mood seemed to steadily worsen, going from mere anger at having to stay at Buffy's house early on in the evening to now more of pent up rage and aggression that she couldn't find any release for. He was forced to double up at the front door because he doubted that Xander would be able to stop her by herself.  
  
"Get out of my way Xander.I have to stake something or else I'll go insane," Faith growled angrily as she glared at Xander, who meekly stood in the entryway and barred her exit.  
  
"You ask me she's to late.she's already insane," Cordelia whispered under her breath to Fred, who stifled a snicker as best she could.  
  
"What the hell are you laughing at," Faith yelled angrily as she whirled around to glare at both Fred and Cordelia, who cringed under the look.  
  
"Please Faith, it's better for you and the baby if you'd just.," Giles began to say with a sigh as he took off his glasses and began to clean them before he was interrupted by Faith.  
  
"It'd be better if you'd just shut the fuck up and let me go help my husband fight like I wanted to in the first place," Faith exclaimed with a furious glare on her face as she looked back and forth between Xander and Giles. She took a step towards Giles before she continued, "Bet you never did this to B, you just do it to me.the screw up."  
  
"Faith please, I understand that you're worried about Wesley.but you're needed here, we have to keep Willow out of their hands.surely you see that you being here furthers that objective," Giles said with a contemplative frown on his face as he put his glasses back on and then continued as he muttered under his breath, "And this is nothing compared to what I put Buffy through over the years."  
  
"Wesley's with Angel and Gunn, those three can handle anything," Fred said with a reassuring look on her face as she looked back and forth between Giles and Faith.  
  
"I hope you're right Winifred, to me I'm far more concerned with the progress of Buffy's team, I wonder how Conner is getting along with Spike," Giles said with a worried frown on his face as he shook his head.  
  
"Personally I'm hoping.," Xander started to interject with a large smile on his face before everyone in the room turned and glared at him before they all said, "Shut up Xander!"  
  
END OF CHAPTER 26 


	27. Chapter 27

OF THINGS TO COME  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the ones that I created.  
  
Chapter 27  
  
After Angel had left Wesley had returned to the corner and had taken another quick look around the corner to make sure that the demon and the Mayor were still there. He set his feet and waited for Angel to make his move, thus allowing him to break out and confront the Mayor, with the supreme hope being that the Mayor was still mortal. He was just about to charge around the corner by himself when he heard the demon's howl of alarm. He tore around the corner to find both the demon and the Mayor completely involved and their total attention focused on Angel. Saying a silent prayer Wesley charged the Mayor and swung his axe, intending to bring the blade down directly in the middle of the Mayor's back. Unfortunately though the Mayor heard him coming and deftly stepped out of the way just in the nick of time, allowing the axe to harmlessly slice through the air where he had once been.  
  
  
  
"Missed me," the Mayor cackled with a merry smile spread across his face as he began to almost dance around Wesley in a mocking fashion.  
  
  
  
"Bloody hell.stand still," Wesley growled angrily as he recovered from his initial swing and then swung the axe at the Mayors head, but again the Mayor danced out of the way and then hid behind the large demon, that was fending off Angel's blade.  
  
  
  
"Why don't you two just give up, you're never going to get me, but if you insist then I guess I'll just have to kill you," the Mayor said with a small chuckle as he leaned up against a nearby wall.  
  
  
  
"Sticks and stones will break my bones.but words will never hurt me," Angel said with an angry tone to his voice and look on his face as he swung his sword and opened up a nice sized gash on the demon's arm, causing it to rear back and howl in pain and anger. This made the Mayor make his big mistake and turn his attention solely to Angel, as it allowed Wesley to get in behind the Mayor. Wesley swung his axe hard and lopped off the Mayor's head, who by the way was very surprised to see the axe blade at his neck, before he stepped back to let the body fall to the floor before he spoke up. "Guess he's mortal," Wesley said with a small smile before he raised the axe blade again and rushed forward to help Angel with the demon, who although it was injured was putting up quite a fight. Angel was being kept busy, deflecting blow after blow of the demons clawed hand with his sword. Wesley's addition to the fight was a welcome sight to Angel, who by now was sporting a few cuts and scrapes.  
  
  
  
"I'm fine.get Gunn out of here.," Angel sputtered out as he dodged the demon's clumsy swing. Without another word Wesley ran back and squatted down beside Gunn before he quickly checked for a pulse. To his relief he found it to be strong. With a great deal of effort Wesley was able to drag Gunn from the scene of the fight and towards the stairs, with Angel covering the rescue by keeping the angry and injured demon busy.  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
  
  
After Conner had stake the vampire holding him Billy began to wonder if he could be in any worse shape than he was. With salivating vampires closing around him from all sides and no signs of Dawn, Buffy, or Spike he was beginning to get scared when he was horrified to see Drusilla smile and wink at him from behind a wall of vampires. Her smile sent chills down his spine as he could only guess as to what was going on in that addled brain of hers. Because of that Billy took a couple of steps backwards before he almost backed into two advancing vampires.  
  
  
  
"Whoa.," Billy said loudly with a scared look on his face as he stumbled away from the two advancing vampires. "Dawn.," he then said quickly as he raised his stake and began to slowly turn in a circle, hoping to keep from getting jumped from behind by any of the vampires, all the while he was unnerved by the constant smirk that was on Drusilla's face.  
  
  
  
While Billy was trying to keep away from Drusilla and the other vampires Buffy had somehow worked her way over to Spike, as they now tried to stay in eyesight of each other as they continued to fight. Dawn meanwhile was desperately fighting her way towards Billy, or at least where she thought he was, with the going arduous as although she had received some training from Buffy Dawn still had a long distance to go before she would truly be ready for this type of fight, if anyone ever truly was.  
  
  
  
"Dru.stop this," Spike growled angrily as he dodged a kick from a nearby vampire before reducing it to a pile of dust.  
  
  
  
"Sorry.can't stop now.the stars are so pretty tonight," Drusilla said with an odd smirk on her face before she started to dance around like she was a ballerina, causing Spike and a few of the vampires surrounding her to eye her with confused looks on their faces.  
  
  
  
"Dru.," Spike said with an angry look on his face and tone to his voice as he pushed his way towards his ex, who continued to babble on as if she were the only person in the world at that particular moment. By the time Spike got near Drusilla Billy had freed himself from being encircled by the vampires, but looked a little worse for wear, as he had had more than a few scratches and a nasty bruise on his chin. Dawn and Buffy had met up and had made their way over as well so now only Conner was not fighting by their side. He was busy fighting in amongst the sea of vampires and seemed to be loving every single minute of it. It took Buffy a few minutes to be able to fight her way over to him. He almost staked her before he realized who she was, and even then he seemed unsure of whether or not he should.  
  
  
  
"Conner.come on.we've got to get out of here," Buffy said angrily as she staked a vampire that was about to catch Conner from behind. At first he just stood there, acting as if he hadn't heard her. But finally he seemed to snap out of it and slowly began to follow her back to the others. The trip back to the others was much quicker as now Buffy and Conner were working together. By the time they got back they found Spike standing guard over Dawn and Billy, who appeared to have a nasty wound on his right arm, one that would need prompt medical attention. For her part Dawn seemed to be more worried about Billy's injury than the hungry vampires that wanted to suck her dry.  
  
  
  
"Running is the coward's way out," Conner said reluctantly with an impatient and unhappy scowl on his face as he neared Dawn and Billy.  
  
  
  
"You need to shut the hell up before I.," Spike growled angrily as he turned to face Conner with fire in his eyes. This flash of anger from Spike seemed to thrill Drusilla to no end as she laughed hysterically and merrily clapped her hands.  
  
  
  
"Ooh.fighting they are.toy soldiers.fighting for fun.," Drusilla cackled with joy as she began to spin around slowly and Spike crept ever closer.  
  
  
  
"Buffy.Billy's hurt.we need to," Dawn started to yell with a worried look on her face and tone to her voice as she desperately tried to keep pressure on the wound.  
  
  
  
"Stay calm Dawn I'm coming.," Buffy said with a slightly scared look on her face as she made her way to Dawn's side and then knelt down beside Billy, all the while keeping a watchful eye on Spike and Conner, who were seemingly trying to decide between killing each other and trying to stake Drusilla. For a split second Buffy thought of joining them but a scared whimper from Dawn brought her quickly back to the reality of the situation that they were all facing. Soon the only thing separating Spike and Conner from Drusilla was a thin line of now frightened vampires that seemed about ready to break rank and run. Spike feigned a lunge at one of the vampires and he shook in fear before Conner cursed under his breath and reduced that vampire to a pile of dust at his feet.  
  
  
  
"Ooh my two boys.come to kill their darling mother.father and son.mother and son.brother and sister.," Drusilla cackled with a smile on her face as she began to idly look around the cavern, all without ever focusing on anything in particular.  
  
  
  
"Is she always like this," Billy mumbled with a smile on his face through the pangs and twinges of pain that shot through his shoulder.  
  
  
  
"This is a good day for her," Spike called back with a firm scowl on his face, all the while keeping his gaze locked on Drusilla as he and Conner then cleared the last vampires in between them, finally stopping when they had pinned Drusilla in between them.  
  
"The two.two by two.have come to hurt the fair princess.they have.yes they have.spurred on by the wicked queen.and her faerie little bit of a sis.," Drusilla said with at first a smile on her face that soon changed to one of anger as she lowered her gaze and glared at Buffy and Dawn.  
  
  
  
"Buffy.I don't like the way she's looking at me," Dawn mumbled out with a scared look on her face and tone to her voice before Buffy broke in to calm her down with words of her own.  
  
  
  
"Dawn.it'll be okay.you just worry about keeping pressure on that wound," Buffy said with an optimistic look on her face that hid the sliver of fear that was beginning to creep into the back of her mind.  
  
  
  
"Game's up Dru.the end comes now for you.," Spike said firmly with a hint of sadness in his voice as he raised his sword and took a slow and awkward step towards Drusilla, who at first didn't seem to be aware of exactly what was going on in front of her.  
  
  
  
"Ooh.we're playing a game, aren't we luv.you want me to stop singing our pretty little songs that you love.you love them don't you.yes you do..," Drusilla said with a happy smirk on her face as she began to slowly hop up and down as if she were riding on a pogo stick. She continued to bounce up and down for a short time before her eyes grew wide and she let out a long winded gasp as a horrified and excited Spike looked down for a split second and saw the end of a wooden stake protruding through her chest before she was instantly reduced to a pile of dust, indistinguishable from any of the others. For several seconds all Spike could do was stand rigid in his place, staring open mouthed at the exact spot where just seconds earlier the first love of his life had stood and was now replaced by in effect her half brother, grinning from ear to ear.  
  
  
  
Buffy meanwhile could only kneel and stare at first the dust pile that had once been the vampire that had sired her lover a century and a half before to the grinning image of her death in Angel's son and finally to Spike, who seemed to have gone into shock at the sight of Drusilla imploding into a cloud of dust in front of him. For the life of her Buffy didn't know exactly how Spike would respond, would he fly off into a rage and probably get himself, and possibly everyone else, killed or would be descend into a sullen funk that he could quite possibly never recover from. Operating more on instinct than thought Buffy lurched to her feet and pushed her way through the stunned crowd of vampires and grabbed Spike's arm, intent on pulling him away and getting out of the cavern.  
  
  
  
At first Spike stood almost as rigid as a statue, seemingly not wanting or not being able to process what had just happened right in front of his face. But after a quick and hard pull from Buffy he seemed to mostly snap out of it and let her lead him back over to where Dawn was helping Billy to stand. Conner, who was still reveling in his personal triumph, stood almost motionless with the stake in his hand still poised where it had gone through Drusilla's chest. Dawn and Billy didn't seem to fully realize exactly what Drusilla's death meant as Billy began to look a little pale. The vampires in the cavern looked as if they were caught between anger, joy, and fear at what had just occurred in front of them. Conner took this golden opportunity to go into an almost frenzy of joy as he plunged into the heart of the nearest group of vampires, staking as many of them as he could as quickly as he could. Buffy made an initial lunge towards him to bring him back to the group but she just missed him and soon they were separated.  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
  
  
Wesley was just pulling Gunn through the front doors when Angel came around the corner with a fair amount of demon blood on his clothing and a less than pleased look on his face. He let the point of his sword drag noisily against the hard floors of the hallway, causing a screeching sound that was more than a little annoying. Wesley winced at the sound and almost dropped Gunn but was able to stop himself at the last minute and finished pulling him through the front doors of the high school. Angel followed soon after with a tired frown spread across his face and a bored look in his eyes.  
  
  
  
"Something wrong Angel," Wesley asked calmly as he set Gunn down on the curb and then began to fish around in his pocket for the keys to his SUV.  
  
  
  
"I don't know.I can't shake this funny feeling that I have that the terror has only barely begun.and it's about to get a lot worse," Angel said with a grim look on his face as he sat down on the curb next to the still unconscious Gunn and looked up at Wesley as he wiped off some of the demon's blood.  
  
  
  
"I wish I could say that you're just being pessimistic about this.but I feel it to," Wesley said with a sad frown on his face as he found his keys and began to quickly walk towards the SUV.  
  
  
  
"We'd better get Gunn back to Buffy's house quickly and let Giles take a look at him.and Fred," Angel said at first with a smile that soon turned to a frown and then a small sigh before he shook his head as he looked over at Gunn. A few seconds later Wesley drove the SUV over to Gunn and Angel and then helped Angel carefully load Gunn into one of the back seats before they tore off back towards Revello Drive.  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
Back at the house Fred was now almost as nervous and anxious as Faith was and that was causing the situation in the house to go from bad to worse, and in a hurry. After almost suffocating Xander Faith had withdrawn to the basement with a sword that she had grabbed, against Giles' objections, before she went downstairs. For his part Giles had moved to the kitchen table, with his work scattered over the entire surface of the table, and only he being able to understand any of it as it was in his own system of filing. Xander and Willow had buried their troubles, at least for the time being, and were busying themselves watching television and commenting on how superficial and double faced everyone on the shows and news channels were. Cordelia had gotten tired of that quickly and had at first used one of the bathrooms to touch up her make up before she fell asleep on the couch in the living room. Anya had come and gone all night, much of the time without even a word as to where she was going or why, only to say that her services were needed. Finally Giles had finished his work and began to try and get Fred to divulge information about what Angel and the others had been up to ever since they'd left Sunnydale.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
  
  
"Buffy.," Dawn said with a touch of fear in her voice as she and Billy began to slowly back away from the largest group of vampires and towards the entrance of the tunnel that they had followed to get to the cavern. Spike had finally fully snapped out of his stupor and Buffy was forced to stay near him to keep his anger from getting the better of him as it was obvious that he, more than anything, wanted to beat the shit out of Conner. For his part Conner didn't seem to notice and was busy fighting a large group of vampires that really didn't act like they were to interested in fighting, as behind them many of the vampires that had first flooded into the cavern were now slowly making their way out of it, with apparently Drusilla's death taking most of the fight out of them.  
  
  
  
"Conner.come on.get your ass over here now you stupid jackass," Buffy yelled loudly and angrily as she staked another vampire. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Spike give her a shocked look at first before it changed and he smiled and gave her a look, had she more time to notice, would probably have punched him in the shoulder and told him to shut up. This line of action seemed to get to Conner as he fought back towards them before he voiced his concerns.  
  
  
  
"We can't leave yet, there are still vampires here," Conner said with a less than happy look on his face before he blocked a kick from a nearby vampire and then reduced it to a pile of dust.  
  
  
  
"They're leaving and Billy's hurt.we're leaving.now," Spike said before Buffy could respond as he looked back and forth between Conner and the vampires that were leaving the cavern. Conner looked like he was about to refuse to budge but after an angry sigh he slowly nodded his head.  
  
  
  
"Good.Conner.you get Dawn and Billy back up to the surface while Spike and I keep the vampires at bay.I'm counting on you," Buffy said with a serious look on her face as she tried to catch her breath.  
  
  
  
"Fine.," Conner said with an almost defeated look on his face as he turned and ran over to Dawn and Billy, who had finally gotten to the entrance to the tunnel.  
  
  
  
"That went well," Buffy said with a tired and slightly worried look on her face as she finally forced herself to smile at Spike, who smiled back at her as they went back to back and slowly made their way towards the tunnel entrance.  
  
  
  
"Guess so.," Spike mumbled back as he quickly looked back towards the tunnel entrance just as Conner led Dawn and Billy out of the cavern. END OF CHAPTER 27 


	28. Chapter 28

OF THINGS TO COME  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the ones that I create.  
  
  
  
CHAPTER 28  
  
The door burst open and Wesley and Angel stormed in carrying a now groggy Gunn between them just as the first few rays of sunlight peeked above the horizon. They rushed him to the couch before gently setting him down. Angel then retreated away from the window and turned to hunt through the house for Giles. Luckily Giles had gotten up early and had been just about to come back inside after getting a little fresh air when Angel and Wesley had stormed in the front door. Angel almost ran into him in the hallway  
  
  
  
"Angel.how was your.what's wrong," Giles said with a relieved smile at first that soon changed to a worried scowl as he noticed the dour look on the face of his undead friend.  
  
  
  
"Gunn's hurt.hurry," Angel mumbled out with a slightly worried look on his face before he backtracked, with Giles close behind, back into the living room and to the sofa. Giles rushed to Gunn's side and began to look for his pulse when a sleepy and frazzled Xander came downstairs.  
  
  
  
"Hey guys what's.," Xander said with a sleepy smile on his face as he got to the bottom step before his face fell as he noticed Gunn on the couch with Giles kneeling beside him.  
  
  
  
"We ran into a little trouble in the high school.but we made it out," Wesley said with a sigh of relief as he tiredly sat down in one of the chairs.  
  
  
  
"What do you mean trouble.vamp trouble.demon trouble.," Xander said with a confused look on his face as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Wesley and Angel eyed him with a look of disdain before Wesley slowly nodded and smiled slightly.  
  
  
  
"Demon trouble mostly.but I wouldn't doubt that there were probably a few vampires somewhere near us," Wesley said with a small smile as he caught a flash of movement out of the corner of his eye and barely had time to react before he was enveloped in a giant hug, one that he noticed was slowly beginning to squeeze the life out of him. "Glad to see you to," he gasped out with what little breath was left in his lungs before the arms released him and he looked down into Faith's soft brown eyes.  
  
  
  
"Where the hell have you been.it's morning," Faith said slowly and angrily, although with a great deal of relief evident behind her anger. Wesley was about to respond when Angel looked over and interrupted him.  
  
  
  
"We ran into the Mayor and his helper Faith.Gunn got hurt but Wesley and I saved him.," Angel said quickly and seriously before he looked around the room quickly and then continued, "Where's Buffy?"  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
  
  
At that same moment Buffy and the rest of her tired and weary group were climbing the ladder back up to the surface, out of the darkness and back into the soft glow of the morning sun. Buffy had to almost punch Connor to make him help her in getting the injured Billy up to the surface, all the while Spike stayed down at the end of the tunnel, watching intently down the tunnel that they had all just used, intent on being the last one up. Finally after Buffy, Dawn, Billy, and Connor were finishing their climb Spike, with one last long look over his shoulder, scurried up the ladder and replaced the plug before turning to Buffy.  
  
  
  
"Everyone accounted for," Spike asked with a tired look on his face and tone to his voice before Buffy kneeled down beside him and put an arm around him.  
  
"Yeah.we should get Billy to the hospital and then back home.Giles must be worried sick by now," Buffy said with a slightly pouting look on her face as if she didn't want the night to completely end. But she yawned seconds later and revealed just how tired she truly was.  
  
  
  
"And you need to get some sleep luv.," Spike said with a soft smile on his face as he reached a hand up and brushed a few stray strands of golden blonde hair off of her face.  
  
  
  
"Only if you come to," Buffy said softly with a sleepy smile on her face as she laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.  
  
  
  
"Of course Buffy.," Spike said softly before he picked his hand back up and softly brushed a few bits of dirt off of her cheek and considered kissing her before he was rudely interrupted from behind.  
  
  
  
"If you two are done we should get out of here," an anxious Connor said as he quickly looked around the graveyard, as if he expected a demon or vampire to attack them in broad daylight.  
  
  
  
"Just like his father.ya know maybe I should start calling him Prunes, what do you think pet," Spike mumbled under his breath with a smirk on his face, causing Buffy to smile and then laugh shortly before she lifted her head off of Spike's shoulder and stood up.  
  
  
  
"Yes Connor we're done here.," Buffy said wiping the sleep out of her eyes before she turned to Dawn and said with a concerned look on her face, "How's he doing?"  
  
  
  
"I'll be fine.it's just a little cut," Billy said managing a weak smile as he tried to stand under his own power but ended up needing Dawn's help to get him fully to his feet. "Guess I'm more tired than I thought," he said softly with a pained look on his face before he put an arm around Dawn's shoulders, allowing her to help him limp back towards the cemetery's gate.  
  
"You two can get them the help he needs, I'm going back," Connor said with a serious and somber tone to his voice before he turned around and took off running out of the cemetery, just as Buffy was about to stop him.  
  
  
  
"Let him go Buffy, we have more important things to deal with than that wonker," Spike said slowly as he stood up and approached Buffy. Buffy thought about it for a second before coming to the conclusion that Spike was right and it was better to not try and argue a point with Connor as he was just as stubborn as his father was.  
  
  
  
"You're right.let's go," Buffy said with a small sigh as she shook her head and then turned to go and help Dawn with Billy.  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
  
  
"Angel.," Cordelia said almost in a scream as she ran into the living room and threw her arms around the startled vampire. Angel had barely recovered from answering all of Faith and Xander's questions before the former cheerleader had rushed in with a sleepy Willow and Fred in tow. It took only seconds for Fred to snap wide awake at the sight of and injured Gunn lying on the couch being tended to by a worried Giles.  
  
  
  
"Charles.," Fred shrieked at the top of her lungs as she ran to the side of the couch, almost knocking Wesley down in the process and getting a very angry glare and stern warning from Faith.  
  
  
  
"Hey.watch where you're going.," Faith growled angrily as she balled up a fist and would probably have went after Fred had Wesley not looped an arm around Faith's waist and held her close.  
  
  
  
"Easy dear.," Wesley muttered softly under his breath as looped the other arm around Faith and the slowly began to pull her away from the couch and back into the kitchen.  
  
From the kitchen Wesley could hear everything that went on in the living room plus calm his wife down and then keep her that way, all the while preparing himself for the obligatory barrage of questions. At times Faith could be like a small child, if she didn't understand something she had the uncanny knack of getting under his skin by asking so many questions that in the end he'd allow her to go or do almost whatever she wanted to. He could hear Angel trying to get Cordelia, who was glaring at him, to relax and admit that he was fine and didn't need any coddling. Willow just stood in one of the corners and looked at the whole spectacle in front of her, desperately wishing that she could do more than just stand there, with a small part of herself placing the blame solely on her curse of being the ones that all the demons and vampires had come to town to kidnap.  
  
  
  
"Hey Wes.," Faith said snapping her fingers in Wesley's face that brought him out of his session of deep thought.  
  
  
  
"Yes Faith.what is it," Wesley said with a tired frown on his face as he rubbed his eyes and tried unsuccessfully to stifle a large yawn. Usually when Faith began her questioning sessions she wouldn't stay in one place for to long, preferring instead to take up different locations around the person that she was questioning, hoping in the end to rattle them into confessing or telling her the truth, if only to stop her from moving. But because of her ever protruding belly she found it difficult to move around to quickly, so instead she plopped down in the chair directly beside her husbands and took one of his hands in hers, and held it fast as she asked her first question.  
  
  
  
"So he was really the Mayor then.he wasn't just some demon or vamp that looked like him," Faith said with a slightly sad look in her eye and on her face as she looked up at Wesley.  
  
  
  
"Well the real Mayor was killed when Buffy blew the old High School up.in my opinion this Mayor was just a copy.of sorts.placed in a mortal body," Wesley said with a sincere but serious look on his face as with his free hand he reached up and ran his hand slowly through her now dark brown curls.  
  
  
  
"So.who killed him.you.or Angel.," she asked now with a hint of a smile on the edges of her lips as she cast a casual glance towards the living room.  
  
  
  
"I did.but only because Angel was keeping the large demon that served as his guardian busy.must have been the bloody demon that got Gunn from behind," Wesley said almost with a forlorn look on his face as another yawn forced itself to the surface and helped to show just how tired he was.  
  
  
  
"You know.you.you should probably get some sleep," Willow said softly and nervously as she walked back into the kitchen, hugging the wall all the way convinced of Wesley and Faith's anger towards her.  
  
  
  
"You're right Willow.I do need some sleep, but I can't until I know that Gunn is going to be okay and hear Buffy and Spike's report on their night.now that you mention it they should have been home hours before us.I hope something hasn't happened," Wesley said with a small third yawn in which he was soon joined by Faith as she slowly nodded her head and looked over at the now very nervous Willow.  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
  
  
Buffy, Spike, and Dawn had almost ran the entire way to the Sunnydale Hospital and finally took a small rest when Buffy had gone in with Billy to get his arm looked at, leaving Spike and Dawn to wait in the waiting room, looking as if they had been wrestling around in the dirt and leaves all night. After getting a few odd stares, along with a few wrinkled noses, Spike and Dawn moved to the far end of the waiting room before relaxing a bit.  
  
  
  
"He's going to be okay.right Spike.," Dawn asked softly as she turned her head and looked at Spike with fear and panic in her eyes.  
  
  
  
"Of course bit.your boyfriend will be right as rain.but he'll probably have one hell of a scar to explain to his bloody parents," Spike said softly at first before a smile spread across his face and he laid a reassuring hand on Dawn's shoulder. She smiled weakly and nodded her head before Spike lightly squeezed her shoulder and continued. "He'll be fine Dawn.trust me.I know a thing or two about injuries.it'll hurt like hell for a long time but it'll get better."  
  
"I know.I guess it was just all of the blood.and the look in his eyes.," Dawn forced out through quivering lips as she looked like she was about to cry. But before she could Spike pulled his chair close and wrapped his arms around her before giving her a good long hug. "So what happens now Spike.you and Buffy gonna.," she said wiping away a couple of tears that had sneaked out, and now with a hopeful smile on her face.  
  
  
  
"Are we gonna what Bit.stay here till Billy's ready to leave.," Spike started to say with a confused look on his face before he heard Dawn chuckle softly and then speak up with a wink.  
  
  
  
"I know you'll stay here until Billy's okay.I meant are you and Buffy gonna.well you know.," Dawn said with a smile before she noticed the Spike still wasn't getting what she was trying to say, so she decided to change her tactics up a bit and try again. "You know.that old rhyme.first comes love.then comes.," she said with another wink and a light punch to Spike's arm, who now finally seemed to get what she was saying, as his eyes instantly grew wide and then closed as a sheepish and slightly embarrassed look spread itself across his face before he responded.  
  
  
  
"You asking if big sis and I are going to get married.I don't know.I don't think she'd.," Spike stammered out now with a very nervous look on his face that Dawn could tell hid the excitement at the prospect of marrying her sister.  
  
  
  
"You might be able to fool most people Spike, but you can't fool me.Buffy either now that I think about it.Buffy and I can see right through any tale you try and spin.must be a Summers trait.it's simple.you love her and she loves you.so what's stopping you.," Dawn said with now an even bigger smile than before as she reached up and patted Spike gently on the shoulder as if to return his earlier gesture of support. Spike started to say something back but was interrupted by a voice from behind.  
  
  
  
"Yeah.what's stopping you," Buffy asked with a big smile on her face as she crossed her arms and leaned up against the wall as Spike blushed a bright red and turned, along with Dawn, to look up at her with big smiles on their faces.  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * * Back at the house on Revello Drive Wesley and Faith had finally drifted back upstairs and after a quick shower they had fallen asleep in the room that had once been Willows, wrapped tightly in each others arms, with Faith's head on Wesley's chest and a content smile on her face. Downstairs meanwhile Giles had pronounced that other than some ugly cuts and bruises Gunn would be fine, taking into account that he got a great deal of rest and didn't try anything to strenuous, a task that Fred willingly took up. Willow now sat at the kitchen table with Xander beside her, trying to eat a half full bowl of cereal that he had no real interest in eating, only the roar of his stomach kept his spoon going from his mouth to the bowl and back again. The whole that they had been sitting near each other neither had spoken, with there still being a rift between them that even though they both desperately wanted to get rid of it neither one was ready to talk.  
  
  
  
Cordelia had dragged Angel downstairs and had set about cleaning him up, against his meager objections. At first he had politely refused to tell her what had happened in the high school but in the end after some nagging and a long and passionate kiss he had relented and she had sat nearby and listened intently. They were just about to kiss again when Connor burst through the front door, almost breaking it as he barely took the time to turn the knob and push the door open before barreling through. The first person to greet him was Giles.  
  
  
  
"Connor.you're back.where's Dawn and Buffy.and Spike.," Giles said quickly with a slightly worried scowl on his face as out of habit he pulled a white handkerchief out of his pocket and began to slowly clean his glasses.  
  
  
  
"Where's my dad.is he.," Connor started to say with a worried look on his face before he seemingly realized what he was saying and the look on his face changed to his usual emotionless one.  
  
  
  
"Angel.he and Cordelia are downstairs.but where's," Giles started to say with an ever increasing nervous look on his face as he looked back and forth between Connor, who looked like he had obviously been in a huge fight, and the still open front door. For a second Connor looked about to answer but he then shook his head and took off down the stairs.  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
"Well Spike.I'm waiting.you still haven't answered my question.," Buffy asked with a happy smile on her face as she walked, hand in hand, with Spike down the sidewalk, Dawn and a heavily taped up Billy beside them.  
  
  
  
"What question would that be luv.," Spike said slowly as he looked up at a nearby stoplight.  
  
  
  
"I believe it was what's stopping you from asking Buffy to marry you," Billy said with a small smile before he looked over at Spike, who looked back down and glared at him.  
  
  
  
"Yep that's the one," Dawn said with a happy smile on her face as she lightly punched Spike in the arm, and received a light glare for her trouble.  
  
  
  
"Oh that one.forgotten about it," Spike started to say with a begrudging smile on his face before he cooled off and then continued. "Some things I have to take care of first, can't have a wedding if only the bride has the proper papers," he finished with an almost sad scowl on his face before the light changed colors and he unceremoniously pulled Buffy across the street, remaining silent the rest of the way home.  
  
END OF CHAPTER 28 


	29. Chapter 29

OF THINGS TO COME  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the ones that I created, like Billy.  
  
Authors note: If you guys/gals, the readers and reviewers, like this story enough I'll do a sequel but it'll jump some years ahead to the groups kids.  
  
CHAPTER 29  
  
Giles was about ready to send everyone that was able back out into the streets to find Buffy when Buffy and Spike tiredly trudged into the house, with an exhausted Dawn quietly shutting the door behind them. They all looked about ready to drop as Spike almost fell asleep standing straight up. Xander and Willow were first to notice as they almost knocked Spike over in their rush to make sure that Buffy and Dawn were alright.  
  
  
  
"Buffy.Dawn.you guys alright," Xander and Willow said in unison as Willow looked Buffy over for any injuries and Xander gave Dawn a big hug.  
  
  
  
"I'm okay to.," Spike muttered a little taken aback as he took a step away from the door and took a step into the living room.  
  
  
  
"Really guys.I'm fine.," Buffy said sheepishly as she shrugged her shoulders before she pushed past her two old friends and caught up with Spike before slipping her hand into his.  
  
  
  
"Buffy, there you are.what.," Giles said with a small sigh of relief as he stood up and walked over to Buffy and Spike.  
  
  
  
"Didn't Prunes fill you in.no.Peaches taught him well," Spike said with a small bit of shock in his voice before he looked around and noticed the blank stares that everyone was giving him.  
  
  
  
"Spike stop that.," Buffy said as she squeezed Spike's hand before she led him to one of the chairs and they both then squeezed into it.  
  
  
  
"Fine.we weren't finding a bloody thing.then Dawn and Billy found the entrance to some tunnels so we investigated," Spike said with a small sigh as he yawned and then pulled Buffy close.  
  
  
  
"We ended up running into like an army of vampires.," Buffy started to say with a worried frown on her face before her demeanor darkened a bit as she saw Giles furrow his brows in concern. "Led by Drusilla.," she said with a somewhat reluctant look on her face as she looked around the room for reactions but got mostly shocked stares before she felt Spike tense up and shift uncomfortably in the chair beside her. "In the end we got away.Billy got hurt but he'll be fine.and Connor staked Drusilla," Buffy finished with a hesitant tone to her voice and look on her face, all the while putting an arm around Spike and pulling him close.  
  
  
  
At first there was almost no reaction, with those in attendance trying to come to terms with what they had just been told. Willow and Xander looked at each other with happy smiles on their faces before those smiles instantly slipped off of their faces as they turned and saw the look on Spike's face, a look that mirrored the look of a small child that had just lost someone close. Spike still wasn't ready to deal with what had happened in the cavern and before anyone could say anything further he tore himself away from Buffy and sulked off into the kitchen.  
  
  
  
"Drusilla is truly gone then.good.," Giles said with a relieved but still worried look on his face as he noticed the somber look on Buffy's face.  
  
  
  
"Good.for some of us.Spike's taking it pretty hard," Buffy said with a small sigh as she looked up at Giles before she stood up and started to take a step towards the kitchen.  
  
"Buffy.I'm not sure if.maybe we should give him some time alone.Drusilla meant a great deal to him.," Giles said with a slightly firm tone to his voice as he stepped in front of Buffy, barring her way.  
  
  
  
"She meant a great deal to him when he was still a vampire Giles.I'm not going to just sit here and let him go through it alone.he needs me," Buffy said with a very stubborn frown on her face as she was almost daring Giles to try and keep her from getting to Spike. After a few tense seconds Giles relented and moved aside, allowing Buffy to rush into the kitchen.  
  
  
  
"You sure you're okay Dawnie," Xander said with a worried look on his face as he turned to Dawn, who had just sat down in the chair that Buffy and Spike had just been in.  
  
  
  
"I'm fine.why does everyone keep asking me that," Dawn said with a slightly angry tone to her voice and look on her face before she yawned and leaned back in her chair.  
  
  
  
"Because we were worried about you.," Willow said with a happy smile on her face as she grabbed Xander by the shoulders and pulled him away from Dawn and towards another chair.  
  
  
  
"But I'm fine.Buffy's fine.Spike's..," Dawn started to say with a slightly angry tone to her voice before she remembered the look on Spike's face when Drusilla exploded into a cloud of dust and her face grew grim and sad. Xander looked about ready to say something when a nervous and yawning Giles interrupted.  
  
  
  
"I think that's enough for now.Dawn you must be very tired.why don't you get some sleep.you'll feel better after a rest," Giles said with a hopeful smile on his face as he looked down at Dawn, who reluctantly nodded in agreement.  
  
  
  
"Okay.you're right.but first I'm going to check on Buffy and Spike.," Dawn said slowly and tiredly as she stood up and began to make her way towards the kitchen.  
  
"I don't think that would be such a good idea, I think that we should give them some time alone, if they want to talk they'll come to us," Giles said slowly after clearing his throat and adjusting his glasses. For a second or two it seemed as if Dawn would launch into one of her impatient and angry tirades but she decided against it and trudged up the stairs.  
  
  
  
In the kitchen Buffy had found Spike sitting at the kitchen table with an empty glass in front of him. He looked as if he had gotten the glass out with the intention of getting something to drink, but then been overcome by memories and plopped down in the nearest chair before the tears started to slide down his cheeks. Instantly Buffy pulled the chair out nearest to him and sat down, putting an arm around him and laying her head on his shoulder.  
  
  
  
"All seems like a dream.," Spike muttered sadly as inside he was torn over exactly what to think of Drusilla being dusted. A part of him was heartbroken and probably always would be, how could a part of him not be after the decades that he and Dru had spent together, it was only natural. But on the other hand there was a part of him that was completely ecstatic over the event, because Dru was the last barrier that stood between him and finally finding happiness with Buffy.  
  
  
  
"I know it does.when my mom died I felt like it was just a dream.a bad nightmare.but now that she's gone.," Buffy said with a sympathetic look on her face before her expression changed to one of hope.  
  
  
  
"There's nobody from our pasts that'll come back and bite us in the ass," Spike said softly and slowly with at first a somber look on his face but at the end his expression came close to matching Buffy's.  
  
  
  
"Oh I don't know about that.who knows.Parker or Riley could show up on my doorstep tomorrow and beg me to take them back.," Buffy started with a joking smirk on her face before her tone changed as she heard and felt Spike snort his disapproval.  
  
  
  
"Either one of those two wonkers show up I'll make bloody sure they leave as quickly as they came.," Spike said with a slightly angry tone to his voice that was tinged with sarcasm. "What if Harmony shows up, you gonna just tell her to fuck off and.," Buffy said quickly before she really had time to think and ended up stifling a laugh as she mimicked Spike's manner of speaking, right down to the curse words. Spike noticed immediately and looked over at Buffy out of the corner of his eye with a confused but somewhat pleased look on his face.  
  
  
  
"If that ditzy little bitch shows up again I'll do what I should have done a long time ago.drive a nice stake through her heart, if only so I don't have to listen to anymore of her incessant whining," Spike said with a small sigh as he shrugged his shoulders and smiled as he finished talking.  
  
  
  
"You see.it's still possible for you to smile.so how about you let me take you upstairs and we can get a good nights.days.sleep," Buffy said with a happy smile on her face as she then gave Spike a light squeeze that he seemed to appreciate as he seemed to relax a bit.  
  
  
  
"Like I have a choice.fine pet, lead the way," Spike said with a sigh and a slight shrug of his shoulders before he and Buffy stood up, with Spike then letting Buffy lead him towards the stairs.  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
  
  
It was several hours later before Giles noticed the note of the side of the refrigerator that Wesley had put there to remind him to take Faith to the doctor for her first prenatal checkup. It took him a few seconds to fully realize what the note meant as Wesley had hurriedly scribbled it on a scrap piece of paper the day before. The note was for an appointment in the middle of the afternoon, and since Giles had just heard the noon bells chime he decided to let the expectant parents sleep for a bit longer. Dawn had long since collapsed from exhaustion onto her bed and had been asleep for almost as long as Wesley and Faith.  
  
  
  
In the living room Gunn had finally woken up and recounted his actions up to the point of him being ambushed, with a stone faced Angel filling in the rest. The tale had gone smoothly enough, only being interrupted by small squeaks of fear from Fred and an almost endless amount of questions from Giles. After finishing a particularly grueling round of questions Giles had set aside his curiosity and was about to take Angel aside to ask him all the questions about Connor that were buzzing around in his head when he turned and almost knocked a startled Anya over.  
  
  
  
"Giles.watch where you're going, you almost trampled me like an elephant," Anya exclaimed with her usual look of complete innocence and shock, causing Giles to momentarily fumble his response.  
  
  
  
"A.Anya.I'm terribly sorry, I didn't see you there you just.," Giles mumbled out with a thoroughly embarrassed look on his face as he smiled as sincerely as he could and then politely turned away.  
  
  
  
"Okay so what do we do now.," Xander asked with a serious look on his face as he clapped his hands together and looked around the living room.  
  
  
  
"Shouldn't you be getting ready for work," Anya shot back with a cheesy smile on her face as she lightly elbowed Xander in the ribs.  
  
  
  
"Nah.I just called in sick, I told them I had the flu.besides there's probably going to be plenty of fun stuff to do around here today, and I don't want to miss out on a single part of it," Xander said with a large and cheesy smile of his own as he slowly inched away from Anya towards one of the chairs.  
  
  
  
"Well actually Xander today we're probably going to spend most of our time in research and demon hunting.down in the sewers where I've heard that there are massive spiders lurking about," Giles said with a small sigh as he rolled his eyes and looked down at Xander before he ended his statement with a very dreadful and scary look on his face that made the only male Scooby almost visibly wilt.  
  
  
  
"You know on second thought.work's not sounding so bad.I'd better get going," Xander said sheepishly with a large grin on his face before he quickly looked around the room and then headed for the door, with an exasperated Anya close behind.  
  
  
  
"So what are we really going to do today Giles," Angel said softly with a small shrug of his shoulders as he walked towards the old watcher, making sure not to get to near the stray rays of light that streaked in through the drawn shades.  
  
  
  
"Wesley and Faith have a doctor's appointment and when Buffy and Spike wake up I'll need to talk to them about their experiences last night, as for the rest of you I'd say take it easy and rest up, although we had two victories last night with Drusilla's death and the Mayor's death I fear that our adversaries will undoubtedly strike back, and in brutal fashion, so we should all be ready for what will come," Giles said sternly after clearing his throat and looking around the room.  
  
  
  
"Why don't you just ask Connor Giles, he was there remember," Cordelia said with a small frown on her face before she stifled a large yawn.  
  
  
  
"Yes.that is true.Connor," Giles said with a hopeful look on his face as he pulled his handkerchief out of his pocket while turning to Connor. He hadn't even begun to clean his glasses when Connor responded.  
  
  
  
"We won.they lost.end of story," Connor said in an almost furious tone of voice before he turned on his heel and stormed out of the room and loudly trudged down to the basement, leaving everyone in the living room with shocked looks on their faces.  
  
  
  
"Connor.hey wait.don't," Angel said with a shocked look on his face as he looked back and forth between Giles and Willow before he also turned around and stormed off down the basement steps after his son.  
  
  
  
"Boy he was a lot of help.not," Willow said with a slightly sarcastic scowl on her face before she finished with a forced smile. "Leave him alone.this is all your fault," Cordelia said with a angry scowl on her face as she turned and glared at Willow.  
  
  
  
"No it's not.it's not my fault that Connor's a jerk," Willow said with a slightly hurt look on her face as she returned the glare. For a split second Cordelia seemed primed and ready to launch into an angry tirade, but she thought better of it and turned on her heel and stormed off after Connor and Angel. The angry trio had been gone for barely the span of a minute before Giles spoke up.  
  
  
  
"Well that exchange was certainly enlightening," Giles said with a sarcastic look on his face and tone to his voice as he looked at the remaining people in the living room.  
  
  
  
"Maybe we should get to the studying and researching part of the days agenda, I'm good at it," Fred said with a big smile at first before the expression on her face changed to one that looked almost scared.  
  
  
  
"You're right Winifred.we should get to the research portion of our day.who knows, we may find something that could tip the balance in our favor," Giles said with a small sigh along with a smile as he turned to look down at Fred.  
  
  
  
"And then.and then I won't have to be under constant house arrest and watched over like I'm.I'm," Willow started to say with a frumpy frown on her face as she looked back and forth between Giles and Fred before she was interrupted by a voice from the stairs.  
  
  
  
"You're what.really boring.yeah I guessed that already," Faith said with a small smirk on her face as she descended the last few stairs and then headed into the kitchen with a sleepy Wesley behind her. Willow was about to storm into the kitchen to give Faith a piece of her mind when Giles gently laid a hand on her shoulder and spoke up.  
  
  
  
"Don't let her get to you Willow, she didn't mean it, her hormones are raging out of control.," Giles said with a sympathetic tone to his voice and look on his face as Willow turned to face him.  
  
  
  
"Yeah I know.but she didn't have to be so mean about it," Willow said with a frumpy frown on her face before she turned away and slowly began to trudge up the stairs.  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
  
  
They hadn't been up long when Faith had forced Wesley out the door and making them arrive early at the hospital, with Faith becoming suddenly nervous as he pulled into the hospital's parking lot. Faith didn't become nervous to often, mostly when she had to talk about her feelings to anyone but Wesley, and when she did become nervous she'd fidget incessantly. Wesley had tried to help her to stop fidgeting so much when she would get nervous but after one near disaster in which he had grabbed her hands in an attempt to calm her down and she had responded by reflexively aiming a punch straight as his nose, but he had moved at the last moment and ended up with a rather large black eye. After that Wesley had resorted to attempting to keep her out of as many stressful situations as he could.  
  
  
  
Even though they arrived early for their appointment they caught a lucky break when another patient had been forced to cancel her appointment because of family troubles. Faith was soon lying flat on her back on a bed with the doctor moving the ultrasound equipment into position. The checkup was going smoothly enough when the doctor looked up at Wesley with a startled look on her face.  
  
  
  
"Doctor.what.what is it.what's wrong.," Wesley said with a worried and scared look on his face as he felt Faith nervously squeeze his hand so hard that he thought she was going to break every bone in his hand.  
  
  
  
"What.no.nothing's wrong.it's just that something.unexpected has come up," the doctor said at first with a shocked look on her face before her expression changed to a kind smile.  
  
  
  
"Unexpected, what the fuck does that mean.tell me.," Faith growled angrily as she glared back and forth between Wesley and the doctor, all this before she caught sight of Wesley giving her the stare that he always aimed her way when he wanted her to be quiet for a change. This time she squelched her anger and took a gamble and waited for the doctor's response.  
  
  
  
"Well your blood work didn't show it.but don't worry.the heartbeat's fine.both of them," the doctor shot back with a confused look on her face before she smiled a bit and crossed her arms.  
  
  
  
"B.both of them," Faith and Wesley gasped out together as they first looked at each other and then up at the doctor with confused and concerned looks on their faces.  
  
  
  
"Yes.both of them, I'd say that congratulations are in order.you're having twins," the doctor said with a big smile on her face, but her words got little response as both Wesley and Faith's minds were sent reeling by the revelation.  
  
END OF CHAPTER 29 


	30. Chapter 30

OF THINGS TO COME  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the ones that I created.  
  
CHAPTER 30  
  
  
  
The shock of the doctor's revelation hadn't worn off even in the slightest as Wesley and Faith left the hospital and drove back towards Buffy's house. Faith had needed Wesley's help to get dressed as the news had shaken her quite a bit. In the back of her mind Faith had always wanted children, but when she became the slayer and moved to Sunnydale the thought of children was pushed far back in her mind, away from almost any conscious thought. The fact that she was not having one child but two had finally forced her to admit to herself what was happening to her. Beside her Wesley seemed lost in a daze of his own, with his mind reeling. Whereas originally he had formed an idea in his head that he, Faith, and their child could easily live in his small apartment and have enough room. But now with twins on the way he was being forced to seriously rethink those summations.  
  
  
  
They had just passed the new high school when Faith gazed back and forth between the hulking building disappearing in the rearview mirror and her swelled stomach with a worried look on her face, a look that Wesley noticed out of the corner of his eye. It was a look that he had always hated to see on her face. For her part Faith usually only wore one of a select few looks on her face, she had an angry face, her normal emotionless face, her happy face, and her overjoyed face. The only other two looks that Wesley had ever seen her wear, other than the one right now, was when he had first seen her after she got out of prison and the one that she had worn earlier that day when he had arrived back at Buffy's house helping Angel carry Gunn into the living room. He had learned from experience that when Faith's expression became that sad and somber look that she now wore that he needed to get her to talk about it.  
  
  
  
"What's wrong.Faith.honey," Wesley said slowly and softly with a sincere look of concern on his face as his gaze kept shifting back and forth between the road and his wife beside him. At first she acted as if she hadn't heard his question but she spoke up just as Wesley was about to ask again.  
  
  
  
"It's nothing.," she started to say with a very somber and depressed look on her face as she leaned her head up against the window. For a few seconds after that they sat in silence before Faith pushed all of her pride out of the way and spoke from her heart. "No.that's a lie, it is something.I.I'm scared Wes.not of the coming fight or anything like that, because that I can handle.as long as you promise me that you won't.leave me.again.I don't want to be alone," she said now with a tear sliding down her cheek, one that she quickly wiped away.  
  
  
  
"I don't plan on going anywhere Faith.I'm not going to leave you.you'll never be alone again.I swear," Wesley said softly at first as he struggled to keep his emotions in check and his hands on the wheel, lest he wrap them both around Faith and hold her close. His words seemed to alleviate some of her sadness but not all of it.  
  
  
  
"It's really that.I'm scared that I...that I won't be.able to handle it, I mean look at us, none of us.B and her friends included.are poster children for happy and healthy families," she said with a sad and somewhat angry scowl on her face before she then turned her head and looked over at Wesley. "I mean this world is already fucked up enough as it is.and now we're going to be bringing two more lights into it.what if they.turn out like me.all hard and bitter," Faith said with an almost self loathing look on her face before she quickly turned her head away from Wesley after she saw the pained look on his face.  
  
  
  
"You're right.all of us have family troubles.but we have the chance to change that, we'll do whatever it takes to make sure that our children never know the pain and heartache that we went through," Wesley started to say with a hopefully comforting look on his face before his look changed to more of a stern one. "Our children won't end up like you Faith.don't be so hard on yourself.you're not who you used to be and neither am I.you know that right," he said slowly with a small sigh as he ran a hand through his hair. Faith started to say something but only got so far as to open her mouth and begin to draw in air before she changed her mind and slowly nodded her head and exhaled. They stayed silent the rest of the way back to Buffy's house.  
  
  
  
* * * * * * *  
  
  
  
When Spike finally woke up he reveled in the sight of Buffy lying there next to him with a peaceful look on her face and her head lying on the pillow beside his. She was, in his eyes, the most beautiful woman that he had ever seen, and that was saying a lot for someone of his advanced years. He debated long and hard in his head as to whether he should just fall back to sleep or get up. He was just about to doze off again when he thought he heard the faint sound of someone crying through the open window. Now just hearing someone crying would not have been that big of a deal but after all the time he had spent with her it didn't take him very long to realize who was crying. Begrudgingly he slid out of the bed, making sure to not disturb Buffy's slumber, and pulled on the only pair of sweatpants that he had. He grabbed a shirt on the way out of the room and made his way softly down the stairs.  
  
  
  
He purposefully avoided entering the living room because he had no doubt that Giles would be waiting for him there, eager to plague him more questions than he could, but more truthfully wanted, to handle. He pulled the shirt on and walked outside before stepping barefoot onto the grass. "What's wrong Red," Spike asked with a concerned look on his face as he approached the witch sitting under the tree with her back up against it. At first she didn't look up, only continuing to cry softly and spin a leaf in her hand. Spike walked over and kneeled down beside her and was just about to lay his hand on her shoulder when she raised her head and looked him in the eye.  
  
  
  
The pain and misery in her eyes was not a new sight to him for he had seen it before. Mere days after he had gotten his soul back Willow had brought a mirror to him and put it in front of him, forcing him to stare into it while she told him over and over that he was human again and not a vampire, using the image reflected in the mirror as proof of her words. The look of feeling as if all the pain that everyone felt in the world, all the hardships that those you loved had and were going through were all your fault. At first the look had scared him more than he ever thought possible, almost as much as the thought of something happening to Buffy.  
  
  
  
"Huh.oh Spike.no.I.I'm fine.really," Willow stammered out as she nervously tried to wipe away the tears that streaked down her face.  
  
  
  
"No you're not Red.you can't fool me.maybe that whelp Harris, but not me.," Spike said with a sad but reassuring look on his face as he completely sat down next to Willow and put his arm around the crying witch.  
  
  
  
"Really.that.that some special gift you got along with.your soul.," Willow mumbled with a small smirk on her face as he demeanor seemed to brighten a bit at his words and show of support.  
  
  
  
"Bullocks.I've always been able to read people well.most of the time I've just been to stubborn to accept what I saw, but you know me I've never been one to admit the few advantages that I have over others," Spike said with a half smile on his face as with his other hand he picked up a leaf of his own and began twirling it around, by the stem, with his fingers.  
  
  
  
"I hate it.it's all my fault.I thought by leaving the coven and England early I'd be helping people, saving them from all the pain and suffering to come, but look where that got me, Gunn's in there looking like a crash test dummy and you lost Drusilla.," Willow said with a sad look on her face as at the end of her small speech she let her voice trail off as she stared again at the ground, purposefully avoiding Spike's gaze.  
  
  
  
"I lost.Dru a long time ago Red, I was just her little helper.she'd cut me loose the moment she saw something better or some pretty little bauble that I couldn't get for her," Spike said with a slightly pained look on his face as it was evident that although he felt better for saying the words just the matter of saying them caused him tremendous amounts of personal internal strife.  
  
  
  
"But what if I.," Willow stammered out as she looked on the verge of tearing up again and her head hung a little lower than before.  
  
  
  
"What if you go all psycho redheaded witch on us again.don't worry Red, Buffy and the others won't let that happen.besides you're to strong for that to happen, and most importantly of all, Glenda.I mean Tara wouldn't want that," Spike said with a sly smile on his face as he gaze Willow a weak squeeze as she tensed up at the mention of her former lover. Even though it had been over three months since Tara's death Willow's emotions were as raw as they were on that day, no matter how she tried to cover them up.  
  
  
  
"She.she'd tell me that I was stronger than that, and that I should stop blaming myself for everything bad that's happening," Willow said with a certain look on her face as if she was trying to emulate Tara saying the words to her. When she finished she smirked slightly before bowing her head again and letting out a small whimper before the sobs again consumed her. With a very sad look on his face Spike pulled Willow close and wrapped his other arm around her and held her as she cried, all the while not seeing the curtains in Buffy's room be pushed aside and the slayer looking down at them, tears sliding down her own cheeks.  
  
  
  
* * * * * * *  
  
  
  
After following Connor down the stairs Angel had almost gotten into a physical confrontation with him before Cordelia had come down and separated them with a flash of anger in her eyes. She had ordered Connor to sit in the sunlit section of the basement and Angel in the sunless part, so as to make sure that there would be no fighting, at least not physical fighting. Connor had grumbled about the arrangement at first but then decided that it was acceptable.  
  
  
  
"Connor.what was that up there.what kind of an answer was that," Cordelia said with a look of disbelief on her face as she glared lightly at Connor with her hands on her hips.  
  
  
  
"What.he asked what happened and I told him," Connor said so firmly and with so little emotion behind his words that Angel had to grind his teeth to keep from yelling at his son.  
  
  
  
"You gave him the kiddy version of what happened Connor, you see when Giles asks you a question like that he's asking for every little detail that you can remember, you should be glad that he only asked you one question," Angel said with a slightly condescending scowl on his face as he glared over at his son until he caught sight of Cordelia glaring right back at him.  
  
  
  
"Whatever," Connor mumbled angrily as he crossed his arms and turned his gaze to the light on the floor. At that response Cordelia almost lost it and would have if Angel had not stood up and grabbed her arm, keeping her from doing anything rash.  
  
  
  
"Connor please.be nice and tell us what happened.okay," Cordelia said softly with a forced smile on her face as she looked slowly back and forth between Angel and Connor. For a second Connor seemed to be about ready to launch into a tirade as an angry look flashed across his face. But finally he relented and seemed to settle down a bit.  
  
  
  
"Fine.we didn't find anything until we got to Spike's cemetery, then Dawn and her boyfriend found the hole and we went down.took a little look around, until we got to this big chamber under the ground and then were attacked by all the vampires," Connor started to say with a bored look on his face as he almost spat out Spike's name and it was obvious to Angel and Cordelia that there was bad blood between the two. At the mention of the vampires Connor's face seemed to lighten up a bit as he then recalled the actions taken during the fight, recalling what little he could of what Drusilla had said, and taking a small bit of joy out of the sad look on Angel's face at the announcement. Angel cleared his throat before he spoke up, but it was evident from the faltering tone to his voice that Drusilla getting staked had struck a nerve.  
  
  
  
"Connor.about Drusilla.did she say anything.anything that could help us.before she died," Angel said with a somber look on his face as he looked over at Connor, who in response seemed to ponder the question for a few seconds before responding.  
  
  
  
"She didn't say anything that would be of any use to us.mostly just some babbling.crazy talk," Connor said with a very sure of himself look on his face as he looked back and forth between Cordelia and Angel, with the former cheerleader laying a hand on Angel's shoulder in a small show of support.  
  
  
  
"Then we're no farther than we were yesterday.I don't like this.," Angel said with a very frustrated scowl on his face as he shook his head and shrugged his shoulders.  
  
  
  
"So what are we going to do about it," Cordelia asked with a very concerned look on her face as she looped her arm around Angel's and laid her head on his shoulder sadly.  
  
  
  
"I don't know if there's really anything we can do right now.at least not until after nightfall.which unfortunately for us is still hours away," Angel said with an impatient scowl on his face as he leaned back and stared at the ceiling above him.  
  
  
  
* * * * * *  
  
  
  
Giles had decided that he could use a little sun and had just stepped out the front door when Wesley and Faith pulled into the driveway. Wesley quickly shut the engine off and then hurried around the front of the SUV to help a visibly upset Faith out of the vehicle. Giles watched the two expectant parents mumble their way through a short conversation as he watched their body language, hoping to get some indication as to how the doctor's appointment went without having to pry. From his first observation there didn't seem to be anything wrong, although Giles noticed that both Faith and Wesley looked a little shell-shocked and overwhelmed. Faith looked very much as if the only thing she wanted to do was get back inside the house and crawl back into bed and sleep until the pregnancy was over. Wesley on the other hand was hiding his feelings a bit better, mostly showing them when Faith would get a slightly angry or sad look on her face.  
  
  
  
"Is everything okay.Wesley.Faith," Giles said with a slightly worried look on his face before he then took a step towards the SUV. At his approach Faith seemed to grow increasingly nervous, as if for the first time in her life unsure of exactly what to say or do in a particular situation. Wesley simply put a reassuring hand on her shoulder before looking up at the older watcher's approach before he responded.  
  
  
  
"Of course Giles.everything's fine.with both of our children," Wesley said slowly in such a way that told Giles that his suspicions about the two feeling overwhelmed were accurate.  
  
  
  
"Both you're children.you don't mean.you're not.," Giles said softly with a slightly worried look on his face as he leaned up against the SUV.  
  
  
  
"We're having twins okay.two babies.not one but two.two babies," Faith said with a slightly angry tone to her voice and look on her face as she shuffled her feet and glared lightly at Giles.  
  
  
  
"Oh dear.twins, this is most certainly an unexpected turn of events," Giles mumbled with a shocked look on his face before he then laid a hand on Wesley's shoulder and gave the former watcher a shake. "Well then let me be the first to congratulate you two on the good news.," Giles continued with a happy smile on his face as he looked back and forth between Faith and Wesley.  
  
  
  
"Thank you Giles.when the doctor told us that we were having twins.needless to say Faith and I we.we're having a little trouble coming to the realization that we're going to have twins," Wesley said with a slightly frustrated and worried look on his face before Faith spoke up.  
  
  
  
"You mean I'm having twins, I'm the one that has to do all of the fucking work, all you do is stand there and cheer me on.and I swear if you even think about bringing a video camera into.," Faith said angrily as she clenched a fist and began to bring it up in front of her face.  
  
  
  
"I wouldn't dream of brining a video camera into the delivery room dear, and I won't be standing there cheering you on.I'll be helping you with your breathing.that is if you don't get a C-section," Wesley said with a reassuring tone to his voice and look on his face as he began to follow Faith, who started walking towards the door just as the first words were beginning to leave his mouth.  
  
  
  
"No one is going to cut me open.," Faith said almost in a growl before she and Wesley disappeared into the house leaving Giles standing near the SUV with a sheepish smile on his face.  
  
  
  
"Ah the joys of parenting," Giles said with a big smile on his face before he laughed a bit and shook his head, finally following Wesley and Faith into the house.  
  
  
  
END OF CHAPTER 30 


	31. Chapter 31

OF THINGS TO COME  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the ones that I created, like Billy.  
  
CHAPTER 31  
  
  
  
It was over an hour before anyone asked Wesley or Faith how their doctor's appointment had gone after seeing the look on Faith's face. Connor had thought about asking but Willow, having just come in from her talk and after drying her tears, grabbed him by the arm and dragged him into a far corner of the living room. At first when she did it Connor looked as if he was about to strangle her but then a quick glance up at the warning looks on both Angel and Cordelia's faces calmed him down a bit. Giles had been just as silent in regards to the outcome of Faith's doctor's appointment, when anyone would ask if he knew he would simply nod slowly but then shake his head when anyone asked if he would tell them how it went. When someone finally spoke up and asked the question that everyone had been dying to ask it was Buffy, sitting beside Spike on the couch, and only after stifling a yawn.  
  
  
  
"So.uh Faith.Wes.how'd it go.everything okay with the baby.," Buffy said nervously as she felt Faith glaring at her. At the end of Buffy's words everyone's gaze turned and fell on the former watcher and the rogue slayer, both of whom looked as if they were torn between wanting to shout their news from the rooftops to wanting to crawl under a rock and die there. For a few fleeting seconds Faith seemed like she was unable to speak, as all she could accomplish was simply to nervously mumble something incoherently. Finally Wesley cleared his throat and took a deep breath and decided, with a quick look over at Faith, that it was time to tell everyone their good news.  
  
  
  
"The visit went fine.better than expected actually.first off the baby.or rather I guess I should say the babies.are doing fine," Wesley said slowly and nervously as he felt one of Faith's hands slip into his. There was many an audible gasp in the room as everyone seemed to be, all at once, trying to come to grips with what they had just heard. Giles was smirking, although he'd never in a million years admit it, from ear to ear. Angel just looked on with his usual blank look of astonishment while beside him Cordelia looked about ready to squeal with delight, if not shock. From the other side of the room Connor seemed mostly unaffected by the revelation but Willow just couldn't stop muttering, "Wow.I mean.wow." Fred simply smiled and laid her head gently on Gunn's, who was looking better but was still in a great deal of discomfort if not pain, chest. Dawn seemed to be about ready to join Cordelia in a fit of squealing with delight. Buffy could only sit and stare at the former watcher and rogue slayer with a shocked but excited smile on her face while Spike let out a small chuckle before nodding his head.  
  
  
  
"Well then.let me be the first to say congratulations.," Spike said with a slightly jealous tone to his voice, that luckily for him only Buffy seemed to notice, and look on his face. Truth be told having children of his own that Spike had never really thought of very much, what with being a vampire and the fact that as a creature of the night siring a child any other way than turning a human into a vampire was unheard of, but ever since his soul and humanity had been returned to him in that cave in Africa he couldn't help letting his thoughts drift to what it would be like to start a family with Buffy. Ever since he had been initially changed into one of the undead Spike had always wanted companionship, wanted a friend, better yet a family. That fact was partially why he had stayed with Angel, Drusilla, and Darla for so long. In their own sinister and twisted way they were a family, and for the most part Spike was happy. But now with him being human again things were different, and he wanted a family like he had when he was still human, all those long years ago.  
  
  
  
"I second that...," Willow stammered out sheepishly from across the room with a big merry smile on her face as she released her grip on Connor's arm. Soon Willow's sentiment was matched by many more similar wishes of luck.  
  
  
  
"Wow.twins.that's.wow.," Dawn sputtered out as all that entailed one child let alone two began to race through her mind. "Does this mean that there'll be four slayers.Buffy, Faith.and then the twins.wouldn't they be slayers to," she continued with an enlightened but confused scowl on her face before she, along with everyone else in the room alternated between looking at Giles and looking at Wesley and Faith.  
  
  
  
"I.I don't know, that's a very good question, like I said before a slayer living long enough to have a child is unheard of, it's entirely possible that the twins will possess what makes Faith the slayer.or it's also entirely possible that they'll just be born as regular human children, with no possibility of ever becoming the slayer," Giles said slowly as the look upon his face matched what was going on inside his head. Out of habit he pulled his white handkerchief from his pocket and slowly began to clean his glasses as he paced around the room.  
  
  
  
"But if the slayer has to be called.after another one dies.would the twins be born already with the powers of the slayer.or would they be like any other potential slayer.waiting to be called," Angel said finally speaking up as he cast Buffy and then Faith a worried glance.  
  
  
  
"I don't know.perhaps like Giles said they'll be human, after all while our twins.," Wesley started with a pensive and thoughtful look on his face as he reached over and slowly began to softly rub Faith's stomach. "Do have a slayer for a mother I'm not.I'm human.so it's logical to think that they stand a better chance of not continuing the line and being able to have a normal childhood," he continued with a restrained hopeful look on his face. Finally it was Faith's turn to speak up, rather like she usually did Faith angrily interrupted whoever was about to speak.  
  
  
  
"Stop it.all of you.our children," Faith growled angrily with a hint of desperation in her voice before she looked over at Wesley before continuing. "Aren't even close to being born yet and you're all practically picking out what fucking college they'll be going to," she said now a little bit less angry as Wesley squeezed her hand in reassurance.  
  
  
  
"Yes.of course.I'm sorry Faith, it's just that this is all so new.and I have no idea how it's going to play out," Giles started to say with an apologetic smile on his face before his expression changed to one of wonder as he silently pondered the potential outcomes of a slayer and her watcher having twins.  
  
  
  
"Join the club Giles.," Wesley said half heartedly in an almost joking manner before he scratched his temple and then continued. "But enough of that for now.what's the plan for tonight, we can't just keep patrolling around and hope that we get lucky and actually find something that would lead us to the cause of all of this," Wesley said with an audible sigh before Faith rolled her eyes and angrily shook her head.  
  
  
  
"You're right we can't.we're not having very good luck with the patrols.so I'm thinking that we need to change our strategy, come up with a new plan.," Angel said from the darkened area of the living room before he sighed in more frustration than anything else.  
  
  
  
"So anybody got any bright ideas.Giles.what do you got," Cordelia said with a restrained look of hope on her face before she turned to Giles and stared at him.  
  
  
  
"Me...," Giles said with a slightly shocked look on his face as he looked around quickly and notice that everyone in the living room was looking his way intently.  
  
  
  
"Yeah Rupert.you heard the lady, I'll wager that you're cooking up a right big plan that'll solve everything," Spike chipped in with a big smile on his face as he slipped an arm around Buffy and pulled her close. Giles initially simply stood in his place and stared over at the former vampire with an alarmed and confused look on his face.  
  
  
  
"I wish I could say that Spike.I truly do, but so far we haven't found anything in our research that could help us in any way, we need to find out who is behind all of this, it's clear that Drusilla wasn't the ringleader, and now with her gone we.," Giles said nervously as he shook his head and slowly sat down in the nearest open seat, all that before he heard Spike's sharp intake of air at the mention of his sire. "Sorry Spike, I didn't mean to.," Giles began with a look of sincere apology on his face before Spike shook his head and put a hand up.  
  
  
  
"It's okay Rupert.it happened.she's gone, that chapter of my life is over, for better of for worse.but at least.at least.," Spike stammered out slowly as if he was physically saying the words but his mind and heart weren't in them, but luckily for him Buffy interjected before Spike could mumble on anymore.  
  
  
  
"At least this time you're not alone.this time I'm here with you, the two of us will get through it together," Buffy chipped in with a smile on her face before she turned to Spike and idly ran a hand through his hair before she kissed him lightly, all the while no one in the room, not even Cordelia who was right beside him, noticed Angel shifting uncomfortably.  
  
  
  
"Hey.you mean the three of us.you can't forget about me, he's my friend to," Dawn exclaimed with a defiant scowl on her face as she suddenly sat up in her chair and glared lightly at her older sister.  
  
  
  
"Of course Dawn, the three of us," Buffy said with an impatient scowl on her face as she returned Dawn's light glare.  
  
  
  
"Course not Bit.wouldn't think of it," Spike said with a small chuckle before he noticed the slightly uncomfortable look on Angel's face and then turned back to Buffy and gave her a quick kiss. Angel loudly cleared his throat before speaking up.  
  
  
  
"So how do we really find out who's behind all this, maybe we should let Willow do a locater spell," Angel said with a hopeful look on his face as he looked back and forth between Willow and Giles, all the while making sure to not look either Buffy or Spike in the eye.  
  
  
  
"I.I don't know if it'd work correctly, I mean with all of those extra demons and vamps in town the big bad might get lost in there somewhere," Willow said with a frustrated and sad look on her face as she looked over at Giles.  
  
  
  
"It's worth a try though.right.right," Fred stammered out, wide eyed, as she looked around the room, desperately hoping that someone would agree with her.  
  
  
  
"I guess it couldn't hurt to try, even if she can't find the particular big bad that we're facing perhaps Willow's spell could at the very least find where it's based," Wesley said with a small sigh and nod of his head before he turned to Giles.  
  
  
  
"That's true.Willow, it's ultimately up to you, I'm not going to force this on you," Giles said slowly nodding his head in agreement before he turned to Willow and asked her with a kind expression on his face.  
  
  
  
"O.okay I'll try, but I just want to say that if it doesn't work I'm sorry," Willow said reluctantly standing up before she left the room to go and gather the required elements needed to work the spell.  
  
  
  
"Just so everyone's clear on this when Willow does her mojo and finds this things lair I don't care what you do or say but I'm not staying here again, no offense B but I swear I'll go crazy if I spend one more night cooped up in your house, I really need to kill something," Faith started to say with a hopeful look on her face before it changed to an almost one of pure desperation before that familiar gleam returned to Faith's eyes. The gleam that, when she got it, Wesley knew that there would be no stopping Faith from doing whatever she had to do to be in the fight.  
  
  
  
"Yourself would be good," Cordelia muttered under her breath with a big grin on her face before Angel turned and glared at her. "Stupid suped up vampire hearing," Cordelia thought with an unhappy frown on her face as she turned away and began to scrutinize her cuticles.  
  
  
  
"Faith.I'm not sure that you fully realize the potential hazards of.," Giles started to say in such a way as if he was having to break some very bad news to a friend. But before he finished the thought Giles saw the concerned look on Wesley's face and changed the outcome of his sentence. "But on the other hand you are a slayer and your skills would be beneficial," he finished with a fake smile on his face as he avoided the odd and confused looks that both Spike and Buffy were giving him.  
  
  
  
"Good, I'm glad that we're finally seeing eye to eye.," Faith said a with happy and somewhat relieved look on her face before she stood up and started to head towards the stairs. She stopped on the bottom step and half turned her head back towards Wesley. "You coming," she continued with a tired tone to her voice as for a second or two Wesley looked back and forth between his wife and those assembled in the living room.  
  
  
  
"Of course.right behind you," Wesley said with a small sigh and shrug of his shoulders before he pushed himself up and out of the chair and then followed after Faith. No one spoke until both the rogue slayer and her former watcher disappeared from sight.  
  
  
  
"Are you sure that was wise Giles," Buffy said with a slightly worried look on her face as she looked back and forth between the now vacant stairs and a very quiet Giles.  
  
  
  
"Not completely no, but right now we'll need all the help that we can get, and I'll make sure that wherever Faith is she's far away from the very troublesome spots," Giles said nervously as he shook his head and turned his head a bit before gazing out of the window.  
  
  
  
"And how are you going to get all of that by her, Faith's not a stupid bird, she'll know quickly enough what you're trying to do," Spike said with a less than enthused look on his face as he first looked over at Buffy and then up at Giles.  
  
  
  
"Then whatever we let her do had better be something important but yet not that much of a danger," Angel said with a deep in thought look on his face as he idly scratched his chin.  
  
  
  
"How about sending her, Wesley, and Connor on a sweep through Sunnydale, keeping them.her away from the cemeteries and other dangerous spots," Dawn said stifling a yawn as she clasped her hands together and leaned forward in her chair.  
  
  
  
"Good idea Dawnie," Willow said with a pleased and relieved smile on her face before she turned to look for the final approval from Giles and Buffy.  
  
  
  
"What.why do I have to go with them," Connor said with a confused and not very pleased scowl on his face as he started to storm towards Willow, but a warning look from Cordelia stopped him before he got to close.  
  
  
  
"Wesley is a good fighter on top of Faith's skills.but.we don't know what or who they could run into out there.and with Faith pregnant it would be best if they had some help, after all what if something happened with the twins.Wesley couldn't fight and help Faith at the same time," Angel said with a matter of fact tone to his voice and look on his face before he then tried to stretch a kink out of his neck.  
  
  
  
"Angel is right Connor.Wesley and Faith will need you along as backup for this mission, and I have a very unsettling feeling that the day is fast approaching that it won't matter who goes with whom or where any of us goes, there'll be enough for all of us.easily," Giles said with an ever deepening sense of dread and even fear in his voice before he nervously pulled a white handkerchief out of his pocket and began to slowly clean his glasses.  
  
  
  
"Whatever," Connor said in a frumpy and slightly angry manner before he stormed out of the living room and then trudged down the stairs, all much to Angel and Cordelia's chagrin.  
  
  
  
"But if Faith goes with Wes and Connor.who'll stay here to protect Willow, after we killed the Mayor we might as well have targets painted on our backs," Gunn said groggily as he put a hand to his temple to steady himself as an extremely nervous Fred looked on.  
  
  
  
"Well.we could have Gunn, Fred, Xander, Anya, Giles, Billy, and Dawn stay here to protect Willow while Spike and I take a moonlit stroll through the graveyards, see if we can find a vampire or demon that likes to talk," Buffy said with a serious yet calm look on her face before she turned to Angel as if waiting for him to talk.  
  
  
  
"Cordy and I will visit the old mansion and then meet up with you and Spike at Spike's old crypt," Angel said solemnly with a slow nod of his head which Buffy and Spike soon matched.  
  
  
  
"Good then it's all settled, now we best get ready for tonight, sunset is only a few hours away and we have to be ready for anything," Giles said nervously as he walked over to the window and peered outside.  
  
  
  
"I'd better call Billy," Dawn said with a cautiously happy smirk on her face before she bolted up out of her chair and rushed up the stairs and then into her room, almost slamming the door behind her.  
  
END OF CHAPTER 31 


	32. Chapter 32

OF THINGS TO COME  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the ones that I created, like Billy.  
  
CHAPTER 32  
  
  
  
Sunset came quicker than any of them expected, or wanted. At first Buffy and Spike had set about making sure that everyone knew their correct assignments for that night's patrol. But that particular task hadn't taken as long as Buffy had hoped, and less than an hour later she let Spike lead her back up to her room before they spent the rest of the time before sunset in a world all their own. Angel had initially wanted to talk to Buffy about whether or not she was truly sure about Spike but by the time he had decided exactly what he was going to say and had summoned up the gumption to do it Buffy had already followed Spike into her bedroom and shut the door behind them. After that Angel had sulked off downstairs and turned a small radio up far enough so that it'd drown out any of the noises that he didn't want to hear. Cordelia had reluctantly kept quiet for most of the time but ended up keeping Angel's mind off of Spike and Buffy by almost talking his ear off. Connor had spent the time spelunking around through the kitchen, trying out virtually everything before Willow had to step in and stop him from eating the baking soda.  
  
  
  
Wesley and Faith had retreated to the back yard and spent their time before sunset there trying to come to grips with the fact that they were going to be the parents of twins. Faith was still greatly amazed that she was even pregnant, while Wesley was kept busy trying to not let Faith get to upset about it all. They finally came to an agreement to start thinking about naming the twins, a debate which consumed the rest of the time for them before sunset. Giles had redoubled his efforts, along with Fred and a frustrated Gunn, and spent the time searching through every tome and volume of ancient mystery and lore that they could find, searching for any small clue that could aid them in their coming battle. Dawn had spent much of the time in her room talking on the phone to Billy, but only after she had corroborated Billy's story that he had told his parents about how he had gotten hurt, calling it a freak accident. After that she had spent the rest of the time plopped down in front of the television in the living room, idly watching the flickering screen as she waited for Billy to arrive. Xander, with Anya in tow, had arrived a short time later with Billy in tow. After that Dawn had almost literally dragged the slightly bewildered Billy up to her room and shut the door firmly behind them, with Anya making an out of place remark betting that the two youngest members of the Scooby gang were at that very moment having sex.  
  
  
  
* * * * * *  
  
  
  
Zarathos sat on his throne in a mood so pour that none of his servants or lackeys, even the strongest demons among them dared not get to close to their angry master. He had been beyond furious ever since Drusilla had been dusted, mostly because he had expected that the crazy vampire had babbled something about his plan to the slayer or one of her friends. The death of his newly created Mayor had hit him harder than he thought. It wasn't because he actually cared about the annoying pain in the ass, but it was more the fact that every night his small army of vampires and demons was shrinking, thanks to her, the slayer, and all of her indomitable friends. He had originally dreamed, in the days that he now looked back on with anger and regret as his days of stupidity Zarathos cursed himself nightly for ever listening to a single word that had spilled from Drusilla's mouth. But now that particular thorn in his side was forever silenced, and he thought that he could now think clearly again, something that he hadn't been able to do in some time. Now of all of the demons and vampires under his command there was only one that he even came close to putting any trust in. Although that oddity of a demon hadn't been seen for some time, and that absence only added to the level of Zarathos' ever increasing anger and paranoia, causing him to snap and sneer at anyone that even came remotely close to him.  
  
  
  
In his anger over the events of the past day and evening he had finally decided to stop sending out his forces in small groups with their purpose being to seek out the witch with the power to end it all. Instead tonight he would send them out with their intent being to draw out the slayer and her allies and get them far enough away from the witch so that it would leave her open for Zarathos' secret weapon, one that he was sure wouldn't fail him. With a slightly angry sigh he noticed the sun slip below the horizon before he ordered his forces out into the street, and sent his secret weapon on its merry way.  
  
  
  
* * * * * * *  
  
  
  
After finishing their discussion, at least for the time being, Faith had returned to the house and spent a fair amount of time trying to figure out exactly what to wear. Had it been a mere few years earlier the debate about what to wear out to slay wouldn't have even crossed her mind. Back then it was easy, all her clothes fit like a glove, a very and extremely tight one. But now almost nothing seemed to fit, and that fact only added to her anger and frustration. Wesley and Connor had already been outfitted with weapons and their orders for the night, with a few special ones thrown in by Giles who had insisted time and again to the two reluctant fighters that although they both wanted to help end the threat that was currently plaguing Sunnydale their number one objective was to keep Faith and the twins as safe as humanly possible, and were itching to leave by the time Faith finally found something to wear. She trudged down the stairs wearing at first a pair of extremely tight jeans matched by a tight fitting sleeveless shirt. Wesley immediately refused to let her out of the house until she wear something warmer. And after a short bout of fighting Faith reluctantly agreed to Wesley's demands and a few minutes later she came back downstairs wearing a pair of Wesley's black sweatpants with also one of his old shirts on underneath a black hooded sweatshirt. All in all she looked like her full intent was to commit some crime that necessitated that she be able to blend into the shadows.  
  
  
  
"This good now Wes.this pass your test," Faith grumbled angrily as she trudged down the last few steps and stopped just as Wesley and Connor turned around. A small smile curled itself upon Wesley's face before he blushed a bit and finally answered his very impatient and uncomfortable wife.  
  
  
  
"You look fine Faith.," Wesley said with a tired sigh as he reached up and rubbed the beginnings of sleep from his eyes.  
  
  
  
"She looks like a thief," Connor said in a very matter of fact way, such a way in fact that had Wesley not stepped in between them and laid a warning hand on her shoulder Faith most likely would have went after Connor, intending to do him serious bodily harm.  
  
  
  
"Now Faith.calm down.please.," Wesley stammered out slowly and nervously as he slowly began to edge Faith out of the door and onto the sidewalk, all the while keeping a keen knowledge of exactly where Connor was during the entire process.  
  
  
  
".Fine.but he'd better watch his mouth," Faith grumbled angrily with a touch of exhaustion in her voice, a touch that although Wesley noticed he didn't comment on, in his mind for the betterment of the evening.  
  
  
  
"Whatever," Connor mumbled slowly before he turned away from the group; just as Giles and Angel arrived in the doorway. And he was soon walking off down the sidewalk by himself, uncaring as to what Faith and Wesley were doing at that particular moment.  
  
  
  
"Just like his father," Faith started to say with an angry scowl on her face before she turned her head and noticed a visibly upset Angel standing in the doorway. "Don't worry Angel.hopefully he'll grow out of it," she continued with now an almost impish smirk on her face.  
  
  
  
"You remember what we discussed don't you Wesley," Giles said in his best authoritarian voice as he and Wesley then slowly nodded their heads in agreement, leaving Faith to look on in a state of complete confusion.  
  
  
  
"Wait a minute.what the fuck's going on here.what's with all the nodding and the knowing looks," Faith exclaimed with the fire of battle lit in her eyes and her small hands securely gripping her stakes.  
  
  
  
"Nothing Faith.nothing at all.just old watcher.stuff," Giles stammered out with a guilty look on his face as he nervously looked back and forth between the equally nervous Wesley and one very angry slayer. That explanation didn't seem to agree with Faith as she jammed both stakes, points up, into the elastic band of her sweatpants and stormed back up the sidewalk towards her husband and the old watcher, with the two of them avoiding her gaze.  
  
  
  
"Old Watcher stuff my ass.now tell me what all this secret bullshit is all about.or else.," Faith yelled angrily as she grabbed Wesley by the arm and squeezed until it began to become quite painful for her husband.  
  
  
  
"Okay.fine you want to know what we were talking about.I'll tell you, yes you're going out on patrol tonight, but we decided that it'd be best if you didn't go to any of the high risk areas.and Connor's coming with us in case something happens," Wesley said with a sincere look on his face that at first Faith didn't seem to understand or believe as she kept increasing the pressure on his arm until she cautioned a look into his eyes. If there was one thing that could be said about Faith and Wesley at the point in their lives in which they were about to become parents it was that they couldn't lie to each other, no matter how hard they tried all it took for either to learn the truth was to look deeply into each others eyes. A few seconds later, although still angry, Faith seemed to understand and accept that what Wesley was telling her was the truth.  
  
  
  
"Okay.I.uh.sorry.c'mon let's go," Fait stammered out with a slightly embarrassed look on her face as she let go of Wesley's arm and then the look on her face became very apologetic and repentant before she abruptly turned and quickly walked back towards the sidewalk. "Stupid hormones," she angrily thought to herself as she wiped away a tear just before Wesley and Connor caught up to her. The last thing Giles saw before the trio rounded the corner and disappeared out of sight was Faith slipping her hand into Wesley's.  
  
  
  
* * * * * * *  
  
  
  
Willow had spent the time before sunset preparing and then casting the locator spell, but the first time she tried to cast it something went wrong and the spell simply fizzled out. She had been reluctant to try the spell again, saying that it was her fault that the spell hadn't worked the first time and that it didn't matter how many times she tried to cast the spell it would never work. But in the end Giles had been able to persuade her enough to cast the spell again, but when she cast the spell again a strange thing happened, instead of many different smaller lights showing up, pinpointing the locations of the various demons in Sunnydale the entire map glowed so brightly that Willow had to end the spell quickly. After that incident she had retreated to her room and shut and locked the door behind her, refusing to come out, and after about an hour of trying Giles had given up and went back downstairs to see Wesley, Faith, and Connor off.  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
  
  
Angel had originally intended to take the shortest and quickest way out to the mansion but after commenting on how it was a nice night Cordelia had forced him to take the long way there. They hadn't gone too much farther after that when they ran across a swarm of vampires. As usual Angel was the first to react, even before Cordelia had a chance to shout or scream in alarm. He judged the first few vampires to attack him to just be fledglings and so didn't allow himself to much concern when a couple of them slipped by him and made their way towards Cordelia, howling in enjoyment as they went. But what they hadn't expected was to run into someone that could fight back. While it was true that Cordelia could fight she had never gone out into the night alone, she had always been accompanied by either Angel or Connor, sometimes both. They had always taken the really hard ones and let her spar with the new fledglings and any other relatively weak and minor demons that were unfortunate enough to come across their path.  
  
  
  
Even when the next wave of slightly more experienced vampires charged towards him Angel barely cautioned a glance behind him, wholly confident that Cordelia could take care of herself against a pair of fledglings. He was busy enough that he didn't notice when one of the vampires behind him managed to get in a good enough shot to open up a nice sized gash near the base of Cordelia's neck. He simply continued to fight, taking great pleasure in reducing the horde directly in front of him to piles of dust. He didn't notice that something had happened to Cordelia until one of the vampires behind him squealed with delight at the look of complete horror on the former cheerleaders face as she tried to yell for help. Angel spun around with a feeling of utter dread gripping him. Had his heart been able to stop beating at that moment it would have, for the sight of his love lying on the ground, the front of her shirt wet with her own blood, unnerved him to no end. The last conscious thought that he had was a mix of fear, anger, and utter rage as he launched himself towards the two fledgling vampires that had attacked Cordelia.  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
  
  
Spike and Buffy had finished their sweep through the cemeteries, as they refused ever urge that they had to take a little break and let their minds wander to the thoughts of what they could be doing instead of trudging through pitch black graveyards in the middle of the night. They finally stopped walking when they caught sight of Spike's old crypt, and Buffy took the opportunity to take a little break.  
  
  
  
"Well this has been a gigantically huge bust if I do say so myself," Buffy said with a slightly defeated and bored look on her face as she sat down on a cold gravestone and looked over at Spike, who stood by with his eyes scanning the night around them.  
  
  
  
"Don't worry pet, Peaches and the cheerleader will be here, he's nothing if not a man of his word," Spike said slowly, with a hint of irony in his words, stealing a look back at Buffy and received in turn a slightly improved smile. "That's better," he continued with a smile that matched hers.  
  
  
  
"Well.since we apparently have some free time.how about answering a question," Buffy said softly with a touch of hope and reserve in her voice as she brushed some dirt off of the tombstone with one foot while staring up at Spike through the tops of her eyelids.  
  
  
  
"Never been one for twenty questions.go ahead.ask away luv," Spike started to say with a slightly annoyed scowl on his face before he cautioned a quick look back and noticed the comfort seeking look on Buffy's face.  
  
  
  
"Alright.what did you mean.back there in the hospital.that you needed some things before you could ask me to marry you," Buffy said stating the question that had weighed heavily on her heart ever since their trip to the hospital. Spike had guessed correctly what the question was and mentally debated for a few seconds if he should answer her truthfully or just feed her some line that would most likely end up getting him in trouble somewhere down the line. In the end he chose to go with the former rather than the latter and just spill his guts, which for him was not an easy thing to do, so there was some trepidation in his voice when he finally spoke up.  
  
  
  
"Buffy.you know I love you right.but I couldn't.can't.ask something that large of you until it's all right and proper, I'm no one right now luv, not a vampire and certainly not human, my only identity was as a vampire, but now I'm just some one hundred and thirty year old.," Spike said softly, his voice trembling a bit as he spoke before he got stuck and Buffy interjected with a smile, "man." "Right.a one hundred and thirty year old man.but to the world at large I don't exist.I don't have a history like all of you do.no records.no identification or any kind.and I was going to ask Giles to help me get some so that you'd be marrying a full man, and not.whatever it is that I am now," Spike continued with a look of being in between a rock and a hard place on his face as Buffy silently slipped off of the tombstone and walked over to him before she slid her arms around his waist and laid her head on his back.  
  
  
  
"Don't worry Sp.William, if that's the only thing stopping you then we'll both ask Giles about it when we get home.that sound good to you," Buffy asked with a very relieved sigh as all of the fears that she had conjured up between the time at the hospital and the final revelation of his reasoning's for not asking her yet simply washed away.  
  
  
  
"Of course Buffy.of course," Spike said softly as he laid his hands on top of hers and as he reveled in the feeling of her arms around him and her head resting softly on his back as he stood there waiting with her for Angel and Cordelia to arrive. Neither one wanted to say anything about the feeling that they both had in the backs of their minds, that their two friends were late.  
  
  
  
END OF CHAPTER 32 


	33. Chapter 33

OF THINGS TO COME  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the ones that I created, like Billy and Zarathos.  
  
  
  
CHAPTER 33  
  
  
  
They stood there silently for over an hour, with his arms securely wrapped around her waist pulling her close and his warm breath on the back of her neck. A few months earlier she never would have let him that close to her neck, but he had been a vampire then, an evil and soulless beast. But now he was human again, or at least as close to it as she was, as she felt completely safe letting him this close, in fact she was in utter heaven that she could finally let someone get this close and know that they were not going to up and leave when the going got tough. They finally began to slowly notice that something was wrong when Buffy started to glance down at the watch that Giles had made her bring with her and noticed that more time had gone by then what she thought, and still no Angel and Cordelia. "Hm.," Buffy mumbled slowly as she pushed back the small voice in her head that was screaming at her that something had gone seriously wrong. Even though she hadn't actually said anything Spike seemed to understand that something was wrong.  
  
  
  
"What is it luv.what's wrong," Spike asked with a slightly worried scowl on his face as he pulled Buffy a little closer to him.  
  
  
  
"Nothing.okay it's not nothing.they're late," Buffy stammered out as she tried not to let her fear show through. While it was true that she and Angel were in the past he would always be special to her and deny them as she might her warning lights and sirens were going off. The warning lights and sirens that always went off when there was trouble, whether or not she could see it yet.  
  
  
  
"I wouldn't worry pet.Peaches and the cheerleader probably stopped off for a little.alone time," Spike started to say with a small smirk on his face as he began to slowly nibble on Buffy's right ear. He would have continued but above her stifled giggles came a loud snapping sound that he heard only seconds before she did. They instantly went silent and tensed up; readying themselves for the confrontation that they felt was soon oncoming. They separated quickly with Buffy drawing out one of her stakes and setting her feet for the upcoming battle while Spike squatted down and picked up the sword that he had carelessly dropped early in a fit of frustration over waiting so long for Angel and Cordelia to arrive.  
  
  
  
The first thing that they both saw was a large, but short, figure trying to run through the darkness as if it were being chased by something or someone. As the figure got closer and closer it suddenly veered off and disappeared into the bushes, just before either Buffy or Spike could get a good enough view of it. They were just about to take off running to investigate when a familiar voice from behind them said cheerfully, "Hi guys!" Both Spike and Buffy nearly jumped out of their skin as they spun around, weapons up and ready for a fight. But all thought of fighting anything quickly slipped out of their minds when they saw in front of them a quite familiar floppy eared demon, staring at them with eyes wide and mouth hanging open.  
  
  
  
"Cle.," Spike started to growl before his vision was obscured as something fell overtop his head; with something very slimly starting to ooze all over his face and down the back of his neck. Buffy turned to him just as his words were cut off and started to laugh, at the site of him with a bucket on his head and chicken wings slowly sliding off of him, before she found herself in a similar predicament. She had only let out a quick chuckle before her own vision was obscured as a couple of chicken wings hit her in the head before a second bucket plopped down on to her head, with a very strong barbeque smell wafting through the air. For a moment she thought about doing something violent that she'd probably regret later but was spared asking the all important question when Spike beat her to it. "Clem.why is there a bucket of spicy chicken wings on my head," Spike mumbled with a restrained tone to his voice as Buffy could hear the anger being held back.  
  
  
  
"And why is barbeque sauce dripping into my ears," Buffy added with a less than pleased scowl on her face that the floppy eared demon was glad was covered up by the bucket. As they waited for Clem's reply Buffy and Spike slowly pulled the buckets off of their heads and began to try and get as much barbeque sauce off of themselves as they could.  
  
  
  
"Oh no.hey guys.I am like so.so.unbelievably sorry.," Clem sputtered out as he looked around to try and find the best escape route, fearful that either Spike or Buffy would want to teach him a lesson. But his fear quickly changed to confusion as he first tightly closed his eyes and then slowly opened them as he heard a burst of spontaneous laughter. "Huh.what's so funny," Clem asked now thoroughly confused as he took a nervous step backwards and looked back and forth between Buffy and Spike, who were both now trying to keep from completely cracking up with laughter as they were staring at each other.  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
  
  
Angel could feel Cordelia slowly slipping away as he raced towards the hospital carrying her in his arms. "Just hold on Cordy," Angel mumbled more to himself than to her. He had easily dispatched the two fledglings and the rest of the other vampires that had attacked them and was now desperately trying to get the woman he loved to the hospital before she died. He pushed the thoughts of what he'd do if she didn't make it, how he'd tell everyone, how he'd tell Connor, quickly out of his mind. At first sight of the wound his mind had momentarily left him, leaving him only with a large amount of fear in the bottom of his stomach. He hadn't known he could run so fast but before he knew it he was in front of the hospital, carrying Cordelia's bloody body in his arms. He charged in through the front doors and failed to notice the horrified looks that he received from the assorted people sitting in the nearby chairs as he began to frantically look around for a doctor. A horrified scream from one of the women seated in the nearby seats alerted the doctors and nurses on duty at the front desk to Angel's plight as a pair of nurses grabbed an empty gurney and rushed towards him with three worried looking doctors behind them.  
  
  
  
"What happened," one of the doctors asked as the two nurses and one of the other doctors lifted Cordelia's limp body out of Angel's hands and gently laid her on the gurney.  
  
  
  
"We.we were attacked.they had a knife.and," Angel stammered out as he struggled mightily to come up with a story that would sound believable while at the same time not deviate to far from the truth.  
  
  
  
"Okay people let's move it.let's get going we don't have much time," another of the doctors said as they quickly ushered Cordy off through a set of double doors and disappeared around a corner. Angel stood there for a few seconds lost in watching the doctors take Cordelia away, before he noticed someone staring at him and tore his attention away long enough to see who it was. Upon turning he noticed a little kid starring at him with eyes wide and mouth dropped open in a gasp, not to mention that the kid was shaking so much that Angel was surprised that he was still standing.  
  
  
  
"Boo.," Angel said more angrily than he had really expected and that, coupled with the fact that he momentarily but unintentionally slipped into his game face, sent the small boy into a fit before he turned away and took off as fast as his little legs would take him, screaming at the top of his lungs as he went, leaving an embarrassed and frustrated Angel standing there hoping no one had seen him slip into his game face. The last thing that he needed right now was to be accused of being the one that hurt Cordelia.  
  
  
  
"Excuse me sir.uh sir," a woman's voice from behind him said nervously before Angel sharply turned around. So sharply in fact that the young woman, a nurse, almost dropped the box of supplies that she was carrying.  
  
  
  
"Yes," Angel blurted out a little more angrily than he had wanted to as he saw the scared look on the young woman's face before he then added, "Sorry.you were saying?" He noticed that her gaze fell to his shirt before she answered.  
  
  
  
"Do.do you want to go somewhere and get cleaned up.your shirt," the scared woman said nervously as she pointed a lone finger at his shirt. He looked down and was shocked to see how covered in blood it was. While it was true that he knew some of Cordelia's blood would obviously end up on his shirt what with him carrying her in but he hadn't expected the amount of blood that he saw. Much to his horror he could hear a sinister voice ringing in his ears; it was that of Angelus begging to just have a quick taste of Cordelia's blood.  
  
  
  
"Yeah sure.thanks," Angel sputtered out slowly as he tried to keep Angelus and the thought of just how good Cordelia's blood would taste out of his mind. Seconds later he let the now a little less scared nurse lead him to a room where he could wash all of the blood off.  
  
  
  
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Everything had been pretty quiet since the three groups left to go and patrol. Giles had resumed researching on the kitchen table with Willow's help while Dawn and Billy were busy talking in her room, having to leave the door open as per Giles' stern request. Gunn and Fred sat on the couch in the living room as they watched the front of the house and the news while Xander and Anya were sitting on the back porch, axes in hand, trying to talk about their relationship, but with the present circumstances putting their nerves on edge they weren't getting very far. Gunn had wanted to go out and secure the perimeter of Buffy's yard but a very determined Fred had refused to let him get off of the couch, even going so far as to wrap an arm around him and to not let go.  
  
  
  
"C'mon An.what's the big deal.I didn't mean it," Xander begged pleadingly as he tried to put his arm around Anya's shoulders, but she sadly shrugged him off and looked away.  
  
  
  
"You said I was like a harpy.have you ever seen a harpy.no, didn't think so.well I have and they're ugly, smelly, and will just not stop talking and.," Anya exclaimed angrily as she quickly turned back to Xander and glared at him, causing him to shrink back a bit.  
  
  
  
"I was just joking around with the guys.you know.guy humor.I didn't mean any of it.not a single word," Xander said back with a slightly defensive look on his face as he tried to not make Anya any angrier then she already was.  
  
  
  
"Not.not a single word," Anya shot back softly with a look on her face that looked as if she wanted to fully believe him but that she still had her reservations.  
  
  
  
"Of course not.I've learned my lesson...honest.," Xander said with a hopeful but yet sad look on his face as he tried again to put his arm around Anya and draw her close. Anya hesitated for a bit before she almost reluctantly agreed and leaned on his shoulder, letting his arm drape around her small frame and hold her steady.  
  
  
  
Back inside the house Willow had grown tired of the constant tedium of researching and so she had left the kitchen table with a remark that she was tired and wanted to get some sleep. She had softly crept upstairs and thought about checking in on Dawn and Billy but decided against it as she could hear the two laughing at something. She nervously walked into her and Tara's old room and for an instant almost expected to see Tara, lying on the bed on her stomach with a warm and inviting smile on her face and magic book of incantations in front of her, open to somewhere in the middle. But like Oz before her Tara had left, although not by her choice, but by an unfair twist of fate that had haunted Willow and everyone that cared about her ever since.  
  
  
  
"Guess I got Buffy's curse.everyone that I grow to love leaves me, Oz.Buffy, Tara.," Willow muttered her thoughts aloud as she plopped down onto the bed and tried desperately to hold back the tears. She was just about to drift off to sleep when a particularly good memory of a time with Tara flooded back into her mind and she could only hold back the tears for so long before they ran down her cheeks in rivers. She tried not to be too loud so that no one else would hear her crying but after a while she truly ceased to care if anyone knew that she was crying. She stopped abruptly when she felt something soft brush past her cheek. Opening her eyes she half expected to see absolutely nothing but the cold and empty room. But instead she saw a sight that filled her at the same time with a tremendous amount of hope, sadness, and fear. For sitting over by the window, staring back at her with a very soft and loving look on her face, was Tara.  
  
  
  
"Hello Willow," was all that Willow remembered Tara saying before she lost consciousness and everything went black.  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
  
  
Wesley, Faith, and Connor had spent most of their time out on patrol without finding anything to out of the ordinary. Sure they had encountered oddly more than their fare share of demons, but for once all of them had been ones that were pretty much harmless and a few even nodded their heads as they passed by. More than once Faith had been forced to use her slayer strength to keep Connor from attacking a demon as it walked by. Wesley found himself having to almost constantly remind Connor of the various types of demons and how even though they were different that alone didn't warrant their deaths. Pointing out how out of the three of them only Wesley was fully human Faith seemed to get through to Connor, if only barely. They had avoided going to the Bronze until the end of the night as they wanted to avoid having anything bad happen with a great number of people around. They had stopped off and one of the local convenience stores and gotten something to eat, mostly at a very irritated Faith's request, before they had gone to stop and eat what they had bought in the park.  
  
  
  
They hadn't been there long when Connor had begun overwhelming them with one question after another. He wanted to know everything, but mostly just the things that Angel and Cordelia had hidden from him about the past. Angel had told him most of his past in Sunnydale and Los Angeles, with a lot of help from Cordelia, Fred, and Gunn, but he had intentionally left out some parts and Connor was hoping to learn everything he could, be it something good or something bad. Faith and Wesley had tried their best to answer all of his questions without giving away too much, like the parts of their history that they didn't feel Connor, let alone anyone else, needed to know. When the questions were over, as well as the food was all eaten, Connor seemed to only be partially happy with the answers that he had received, but Wesley stepped in and kept him from asking any more questions.  
  
  
  
"I think that's enough for now Connor, we should get back to our patrol, don't you think so Faith," Wesley said with a slightly worried look on his face as he stood up slowly before turning to help his wife up.  
  
  
  
"What the hell.sure, let's go," Faith mumbled in a less than pleased mood as she was being forced to stand up and go back out on patrol so soon after she had just gotten comfortable. The slayer side of her was groaning in that realization but she pushed it aside and aimed her attention to Connor, who seemed to be now more than ready to resume their light patrol.  
  
  
  
"Whatever," Connor mumbled with an emotionless scowl on his face before he turned and started to walk off, forcing Wesley and Faith to have to hurry to keep up.  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
  
  
Willow hadn't left the kitchen for to long when Giles began to notice her absence and that coupled with the fact that he was getting a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach told him that he'd better go and find the young witch. He checked all over the downstairs first before he trudged slowly up the stairs and looked in Dawn's room before he made his way to Willow's room and with a small sigh he pushed the door open. Upon entering he could feel that something was very wrong and his suspicions were only confirmed when his gaze fell on a human sized blue demon that was holding an unconscious but otherwise unhurt Willow in its arms. "Oh dear.," Giles stammered out with a look of shock and some fear on his face as he stood transfixed in the doorway.  
  
  
  
"Tell the slayer that the witch is ours and that the end is near, we won.and you lost," the demon cackled in its inhuman voice before it took a step back and vanished into a well hidden portal, leaving an extremely shocked Giles to only shake his head and mutter, "Bloody hell.."  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
  
  
Buffy and Spike had dragged Clem back to Spike's old crypt and were in the process of trying to wash some of the barbeque sauce out of their hair when Buffy's cell phone went off. With a reluctant sigh Buffy walked over, leaving Spike to continue to try and rinse out his hair, and took her cell phone out of her pocket before turning it on and putting it up to her ear. "Hello.Angel where.," was almost all that Buffy could get out before Angel launched into what had transpired earlier in the night. The rest of the conversation consisted mainly of Buffy asking short quick questions, or parts of them as once Angel got started rambling on it was very hard to get a single word in edgewise. In the end Spike didn't have to ask what the bulk of the conversation had been about, the sad look on Buffy's face said it all.  
  
  
  
"That bad huh pet," Spike said sadly with a look on his face that matched the look on Buffy's as he set the towel down by the sink and walked over to Buffy, who by now had only nodded slightly before a stray tear or two forced themselves to the surface and then down her cheeks.  
  
  
  
"Yeah.Angel and Cordelia were attacked and she got hurt.bad.they don't know if she's going to make it," Buffy stammered out before Spike put his arms around her and drew her close in a comforting hug.  
  
  
  
"Course she'll make it.she's one of the good guys right.they who always make it.," Spike said softly trying to be as supportive as he could be without sounding to sappy, after all he had never particularly cared for the ex cheerleader but he knew that if anything happened to her that Angel would be most likely devastated, with Buffy not far behind. Even though there was no chance of the two ever getting back together a connection was still there between the two and what affected one would most certainly affect the other. And Spike was bound and determined to not let Buffy get too consumed in Angel's feelings.  
  
  
  
"Tara didn't.," a familiar voice from behind them said with a sad tone to it as Clem almost passed out in shock. Buffy and Spike turned to see a very shy and sad looking Anya standing by what was left of one of the old tombs in Spike's crypts.  
  
  
  
"Anya.what.what is it, what's wrong.," Buffy asked with a look on her face as if she really didn't want the vengeance demon to answer.  
  
  
  
"Don't ask me how.but they got Willow, Giles said that a blue demon grabbed her when he went to check on her.sorry," Anya said with a sad and dejected look on her face as she slowly looked back and forth between Spike, Buffy, and Clem.  
  
  
  
"Bloody hell.," Spike mumbled angrily with a hint of fear in his voice that Buffy didn't like very much before the trio left Clem alone in the crypt and took off back towards Buffy's house.  
  
  
  
END OF CHAPTER 33 


	34. Chapter 34

**OF THINGS TO COME**

**Disclaimer:  I don't own any of the characters except for the ones that I created like Billy and Zarathos.**

**CHAPTER 34**

The first sense that Willow reacquired upon regaining consciousness was her sense of smell, with the stench of wherever she was instantly slamming into her and making her almost want to vomit.  The smells wafting into her nose matched and even exceed many of the noxious aromas that Willow had experienced in her many adventures with Buffy.  She slowly opened her eyes but almost instantly wished that she had kept them shut, for staring her in the face was the worm eaten skull of some unfortunate soul that had come before her.  Stifling a scream as best she could Willow tried to turn away and roll over onto her other side but she found that she was unable to do anymore than simply rock in place.  "What's going on," she thought fearfully to herself before she forced herself to calm down and remember that through the years she had gotten herself out of worse spots than this.  It took her a few more minutes, and several more attempts at rolling over that all ended in failure, to fully realize what her situation was.  "Great…someone…or something placed a magic spell on me…and I can't move enough to do anything about it," she thought with a slowly dawning sense of dread in the pit of her stomach as she then swallowed hard and readied herself before she opened her eyes and summoned up what strength she could and looked back the rotting corpse in front of her.  From her position on the floor she could see many bodies of almost every conceivable shape and size, most of them partially or extensively decomposed, stacked one on top of the other all around her.  To her horror she noted that some of the bodies jammed into the room were human, with one even being someone that she thought she recognized from high school.  She was about to say a silent prayer for them when she heard a door slowly open and then something smelly and inhuman lumber its way inside carrying chains.

"Time for you to meet the mighty Zarathos human…you are about to meet the next master of this world," the demon growled as it lumbered over to her before it fastened heavy metal shackles attached to thick chains around her ankles.  And with that, and before Willow could even muster up enough strength or willpower to reply, the demon began to painfully drag the magic bound Willow through the cell and then out into the hall, making sure to hit every rock and sharp edge along the way.  

*                    *                       *              *                *                   *              *                 *

The scene that greeted Buffy, Spike, and Anya upon entering the living room was not a good or encouraging one, much to their dismay.  Giles sat silently in the far corner of the room, seemingly going over in his head everything that had happened that night and trying to figure out where he went wrong.  Xander was busy arguing with Dawn and Billy, who even with his hurt shoulder, was keeping himself in between Dawn and Xander.  To Buffy's silent joy Xander seemed to be losing the argument.  Gunn and Fred seemed to be loudly arguing about something else entirely and so the combination of the two arguments and Giles' silent contemplation did not give Buffy a good feeling.  Wesley, Faith, and Connor weren't there but Buffy guessed that they were still on patrol and hadn't heard the bad new yet.  That accounted for everyone except for Angel and Cordelia, of whom Buffy was starting to get a very bad feeling about.  

Sensing her mood Spike wrapped an arm around her waist and drew her close before whispering softly in her ear.  "Easy now pet…won't do anyone any good for you to get all upset and start yelling at everyone, they're all just as worried about Red as you are," Spike whispered softly as he led Buffy over to the couch and almost had to pull her down beside him before she opened up with the questions.  

"I don't want to sound snippy…but can anyone tell me how a demon was able to slip in here…past all of you…and Giles…and kidnap Willow…without any of you noticing anything until it was to late," Buffy said with a growing look of anger on her face as beside her Spike could feel how tense she was.  

"It's not our fault Buffy…we were guarding the exits like you said…we never saw a thing…Anya and I were at the back door and Gunn and Fred were watching the front door, nothing got past us," Xander exclaimed apologetically as he looked back and forth between Buffy and Spike.

"And yet a demon somehow got through and carted Red off to who knows where…," Spike shot back with an almost mocking tone to his voice that made Buffy squeeze his hand tightly.  

"We can place blame later, we can argue about it all night and it won't get us anywhere…right now we need to figure out where the demon took Willow and how to rescue her," Giles said finally speaking up from his corner as he stood up and looked tiredly around the room.  

"But after all of our researching we hadn't come up with anything, we have no idea where the Big Bad's home base is," Fred said with a very worried look on her face as she looked back and forth between Giles and Gunn.  

"Then we'll just find her the old fashioned way…on foot," Gunn said with a forceful look on his face as he first looked at Fred and then turned to Buffy.  

"No good, they could be anywhere…and without Willow to do a locator spell we're sunk," Buffy sputtered out with a very sad look on her face as she leaned back up against Spike and laid her head on his shoulder.

"Who knows maybe Peaches found something, knowing him if he found something he'd charge right in there without even thinking about it,"  Spike said trying to sound reassuring as he looked down at Buffy and gave her hand a squeeze back.

"But what about Faith, Wesley, and Connor…what if they found something," Billy said with a slightly worried look on his face as he and Dawn first looked back at Giles and then over at Buffy and Spike, who now seemed deep in thought.  

"That's true…although in her condition Faith would rush headlong into danger and get herself killed, taking Wesley and Connor along for the ride," Buffy stated dryly as everyone in the room understood what she was saying.  

"They haven't checked in yet, either of them, maybe I should call Wesley on his cell phone…see how they're doing," Fred said with a restrained look of hope on her face as she sat upright and looked around the room, ignoring the disapproving look on Gunn's face.  

"Good thinking Fred…why don't you," Giles started to say before the telephone began to ring, causing an almost creepy silence to fall over the room.  Giles stood up to go to the phone but Dawn beat him to it.

"Hello…it's Dawn…Angel…what, wait…you're talking to fast slow down…what happened to Cordelia…oh my…okay I'll tell her," Dawn sputtered out into the receiver as her expressions ran the gambit of emotions from fear to humor to shock and worry.  When she was done she almost reluctantly hung the telephone up and turned back towards the group assembled in the living room before the barrage of questions started.  

"Dawnie what is it…what's wrong, what did Angel say, what happened to Cordelia," Buffy said with a growing sense of fear and dread in her stomach as she sat up in her seat and stared at her younger sister.  At her side Spike seemed to share her unease as he first looked over at Giles and then up at Dawn.

"It's bad news…Angel and Cordelia were attacked…Cordelia got hurt and Angel took her to the hospital…he sounded scared," Dawn said with a very sad look on her face as she looked as if she could have cried after seeing the reactions from the various people in the room.  For his part Billy walked over and gingerly wrapped an arm around her shoulders and gave her as strong a one armed hug as he could.

"If Angel's scared then it's serious…we should go," Spike said with such a very serious look on his face that made Buffy cringe because she instantly noticed that he hadn't called her former lover by the nickname that he so enjoyed using but his true name.  

"You're right…Giles stay here…Spike and I are going to the hospital, we'll call you when we know anything," Buffy said firmly but with a touch of fear and panic in her voice as she stood up and pulled Spike up with her.

"But what should we do about the others…Connor would be devastated if something happened to Cordelia and we kept it from him," Fred pointed out with a very fearful look on her face as she stood up and looked over at first Giles and then at Spike and Buffy, who by now were almost out of the living room. 

"Prunes would be devastated wouldn't he…bloody hell, there's no easy way of doing this is there," Spike said slowly at first, as if the full effect of the words was hitting him, before a bit of anger crept its way into his speech.  

"Welcome to my world Spike…where there's always evil about and nothing is every easy," Buffy said with a smile on her face as she noticed how uncomfortable Spike was at the realization before she leaned over and kissed him lightly before continuing.  "Fred…call Wesley on his cell phone and tell him about Angel and Cordelia…have them meet us there," she finished with a slightly worried tone to her voice and look on her face  before she and Spike quickly left the house and took off towards the hospital.  

*                     *                  *                      *                   *                 *              *            *

After finally catching up to Connor, which was no small feat in and of itself, and resuming their patrol Faith and Wesley had found themselves unexpectedly talking about possible baby names.  It had only been the two of them debating the names for some time before Connor had broken in with a question wondering why they were having such a hard time trying to come up with names for their twins.  Faith had started to respond but then had become quickly frustrated and had resigned the answering of the question to Wesley, who stood flabbergasted for a few short seconds before responding.  "Well Connor…you see it's not an easy thing to come up with names for children…as a parent you have to make sure to pick a name that won't get your child ridiculed as they'll be stuck with their name for their entire lives," Wesley said slowly as he walked beside Faith with a hand on her shoulder, all the while struggling to come up with the right words to explain his reasoning's to Connor.  

"But then how did my fath…Angel come up with my name," Connor muttered softly almost as if he wasn't sure that he wanted to know the answer to the question.  

"I would have thought that he would have told you by now Connor…but he decided on your name fairly quickly if I recall…he said that Connor was a good Irish name…and that was the end of that…he had chosen your name," Wesley said slowly and carefully with him expecting during the entire time for Connor to break in with a comment or question, but luckily no question or comment came.  

"Don't worry about it so much Connor, Wes and I have plenty of time before the twins arrive, we'll come up with something…either that or we'll just wait until we see them and name them then…that's how my mom did it," Faith started to say in an almost motherly tone that made both Wesley and Connor stare at her oddly before she continued.  "She took one look at me…all purple and ugly…and named me Faith because she said that she had Faith that I'd actually amount to something…be better than she was," she finished with an ever increasing look of sadness on her face.  Seeking to relieve her malady Wesley took step closer to her and wrapped a supportive arm around her shoulders before giving her a tight squeeze.  

"So were you…did you do better than your mother…," Connor asked now seemingly very interested in anything that both Wesley and Faith had to say, even if it was only in their body language.  Wesley knew Connor to be extraordinarily bright, even if he didn't always show or act like it.  His problem came, much like his father, when the situation became transfixed on something other than one of his strengths, subtly and restraint were not two of his better attributes.  

For a time Faith debated mentally as to how exactly she should answer that particular question.  Her conscience screamed at her with numerous reminders of her foibles, faults, and failures, with not the least of which being what she had done to Wesley all those years ago.  While in prison and even for a short time after she had gotten out those kinds of thoughts and feelings had consumed her.  But ever since she had hooked up with Wesley new and other feelings and ideas had sprouted forth, and from those beginnings Faith had decided that although she would never be even close to perfect she would spend the rest of her life trying to live up to her mother's at one time outdated hopes and dreams for her.  And so her voice was a tad shaky as she responded to Connor's pointed question.  "I'm not sure…I'd like to think that one day I will be able to feel that my mother would have been proud of me…but for now…I guess I'll have to make do with the love of my family and friends…," Faith said slowly and almost unsurely as she tried to piece her words together in such a way as to express her true feelings, and as she did so she could feel Wesley drop his arm from around her shoulders and slide that hand over before he firmly took hold of her hand.  The next question that Connor uttered took both Faith and Wesley by complete surprise.  They had expected him to ask another question dealing with Faith's family, but instead he went another way.

"Do you…do you think that my mother would be…proud…of me," Connor stammered out suddenly looking very sure of himself as he took a half look around before he took a step back and leaned up against a rather large tree.  

"I'm not sure Connor…there's a part of me that thinks that no matter how badly Darla wanted to be rid of you she knew that you were destined for bigger and better things…and in the end I feel…no I know that she thought that you were the only thing that she and Angelus ever did together that would amount to anything…in fact I believe that those were quite possibly her last words, before she staked herself," Wesley started to say with an almost unsure scowl on his face before he turned back to Connor and changed the expression on his face to an ever growing look of certainty and support.  For the most part Connor seemed to take the news well, with him having the luck to have heard most of it from Angel months earlier, however hearing it from someone else somehow seemed to make it all more real, more truthful.  

"I wouldn't worry to much about it Connor, if I were you I'd be much more concerned with Angel being proud of you…and from I've seen I'd say that he is…very proud of you, even if he doesn't always show up," Faith said with a hopefully reassuring look on her face as she lightly patted Connor on the shoulder before Wesley's cell phone suddenly rang.  With a reluctant sigh Wesley took his cell phone out of his pocket and shrugged at Faith and Connor before putting it up to his ear.  

"Yes…Fred, what is it…wait slow down…okay…what happened…Angel and Cordelia…the hospital, Buffy and Spike already left…okay…we'll meet them there…thank you…goodbye," Wesley sputtered out as he desperately tried to stay ahead of Fred, who had slipped into her habit of rambling.  

"What happened, is Cordelia okay," Connor said almost shouting as he stood back up and took a step towards Wesley with a look on his face that told Faith that a horde of vampires could have rushed past at that exact moment and Connor wouldn't have even flinched.  

"What's up Wes…you haven't been this white since you found out that we were married that morning in Los Vegas," Faith said through a good natured chuckle before the humor in her voice died as she saw the look of concern and worry on her husbands face.  

"Angel and Cordelia…they were attacked, Cordelia was injured and Angel rushed her to the hospital, Fred said that it was serious and that Buffy and Spike were already on their way to the hospital and that we were supposed to meet them there," Wesley started to say with almost a look of shock on his face before the look changed to a very worried one as he saw the reactions on Faith and Connor's faces.  And almost before he had even finished explaining what was going on Connor had taken off running towards the hospital, leaving Wesley and Faith to only watch him go.  

"We should probably catch up to him, in his state of mind he could hurt someone if they got in his way," Faith said with a small sigh and shrug of her shoulders as she looked up at Wesley.  

"Don't worry we will, but we'll get there at our own speed, in your condition you shouldn't run," Wesley said with a concerned look on his face as he looked back and forth between where Connor had run off and where Faith stood nearby.  

"Then we'd better get going…don't wanna be late, B would never let me live it down," Faith said with a sarcastic smirk on her face before she and Wesley turned and quickly followed after Connor, hoping that he would have a quick and incident free trip to the hospital.

END OF CHAPTER 34


	35. Chapter 35

**OF THINGS TO COME**

**Disclaimer:  I don't own any of the characters except for the ones that I created like Billy and Zarathos.**

**CHAPTER 35**

Connor almost broke through the front doors at the hospital in his eagerness to get to Cordelia.  At the time he got to the hospital he had no plan of what he was going to do, only the need to see Cordelia and make sure that she would be alright.  A million different possibilities spun through his mind, from a demon that got the better of Angel and Cordelia had gone to help him and gotten hurt that way to Angel being the one that in fact hurt her.  If the former were the case Connor could understand, as for the short time that he had been around Cordelia he had noticed that she often acted without thinking of her own safety or wellbeing.  The thought of the event of the latter happening sent a rush of anger through him, one that he sincerely hoped was misplaced.  

He burst into the hospital and almost immediately knocked an orderly to the ground and had to act fast to keep the frightened young woman from dropping all of the files that she had stuffed into her arms.  "Just like Peaches, never looks where he's going," Spike said with a small chuckle as he pushed off from the wall and walked slowly towards Connor.  

"Where is she, where's Cordelia…I have to see her," Connor demanded bitterly as he shook his head and tried his best to ignore Spike as he began to walk by him.  Spike sighed before getting in his way and forcing his –uncle- to stand back.

"Easy Connor…she's in surgery right now, Buffy and Angel are in the waiting room…waiting for us," Spike said slowly as he tried to keep his temper in check but Connor's repeated attempts to quickly dodge by him were starting to make that act a hard one.  

"How…how did it happen," Connor said with a look of subdued anger on his face, a look that Spike knew very well as it reminded him of the look that Angel would often give him.

"They ran across some vampires out on the hunt…your dad took on the more experienced ones and let a couple of fledglings go, thinking that the cheerleader could handle them…except one of them got in a lucky shot, right about here," Spike started to say with an almost reassuring tone to his voice before as he got to the end his tone changed to a more angry one as he reached a hand up and with his index finger traced a line at the base of his neck to show Connor.  For a fearfully silent second or two Spike expected Connor to go charging by him, baying at the moon like a wolf for Angel's head, but the teen surprised him and after some obvious consideration Connor seemed to calm down, if only a bit.  

"Is…he alright," Connor mumbled slowly as if he was embarrassed to even ask the question and even more afraid of the possible answer.

"Yeah…he's fine, or at least he will be once Cordelia gets better, you should have seen the look on his face when we first got here…he was as white as a sheet…but I guess that's to be expected for a vampire," Spike said with what he hoped was a calming tone to his voice as he cautiously put his hand up on Connor's shoulder before the two slowly began to make their way down the hallway towards the waiting room, deep in conversation.  

*               *               *               *                 *             *              *            *            *              

Faith and Wesley had followed Connor as best they could but Faith had gotten tired early and Wesley had then retrieved the SUV and picked her up before the pair raced off towards the hospital, arriving just a few minutes after Connor.  On the way Wesley had repeatedly admonished Faith to stay calm and not to let her emotions get the better of her.  Upon entering the hospital Faith took hold of Wesley's hand and squeezed it so tightly, to try and relieve some of her tension, that he thought it would broken beyond repair when she let go.  Despite the tremendous amount of pain in his hand Wesley kept a supportive but serious look on his face as he and Faith walked up to the front desk and inquired about Cordelia.  After an initial misunderstanding, where the woman at the front desk had mistaken them for being at the hospital for treatment rather than looking for a friend, Wesley and Faith had gotten the proper information and headed down the long hallway towards the waiting room.  On the way they had a short discussion about what they would need to do if things didn't go well for Cordelia, knowing that if the worst happened both Connor and Angel would be a total emotional wreck for some time.  They both quickly came to the same conclusion, that in the event of Cordelia's death Angel would probably lock himself in his room and brood while Connor would most likely skip town and never look back, wanting to get as far away from Angel and any memory of Cordelia.  

They weren't happy about having that particular discussion but both knew that they should be prepared for any eventuality, and that in the predicament they were in Cordelia's condition, whatever it was, could seriously affect two of their best fighters.  When they finally got to the waiting room they found Buffy trying her best to keep Angel calm as the two talked in low voices in one corner of the room while on the other side of the room, near the vending machines Spike was trying to teach Connor about how the wait for word about Cordelia would probably be a long one and how he could best get through it, apparently by learning as much about vending machines the various things in them.  Without even being noticed Wesley and Faith sat down in two chairs that were next to a magazine covered coffee table and a respectable enough distance from Angel and Buffy.  From what they could make out of the conversation between Angel and Buffy Angel was trying desperately to keep his emotions in check, all the while trying to silently reassure Connor that everything was going to be fine and that Cordelia would pull through.  

"Any word," Faith asked impatiently, finally speaking up when it became apparent that neither she nor Wesley had been noticed.  

"What…oh Faith…Wesley…when did…," Angel said at first with a slightly shocked look on his face before the worried scowl that he had been wearing only seconds before returned. 

"A few minutes ago Angel…have the doctors said anything about Cordelia's condition," Wesley said softly with a hand on Faith's arm as if telling her that he'd take this one.  

"No…every time we try and ask them anything they just say that she's still in surgery and that they won't know anything until it's over," Connor said sadly, with his hands jammed deep into his pockets, as he slowly walked over and stood near the side of the coffee table while Spike stepped around the table and sat down next to Buffy.  

"Well we just have to keep a positive outlook…we have to believe that she'll pull through and be back to her old self in no time," Wesley said with a forced look of hope on his face that unfortunately wasn't fooling anyone.  

"Yeah…I can just see her now…annoying us until we name her the Godmother to the twins…," Faith said with an unsure scowl on her face as she leaned back in her seat and tried to keep from laughing at the thought, as she knew a laugh wouldn't help anyone at that moment and would most likely be misconstrued.  

"There'll be plenty of time for all that later…after Cordy gets better," Angel said with an emotionless scowl on his face as his eyes didn't leave the tops of his shoes.  Beside him Buffy heart was almost breaking, seeing her old love going through so much pain, if not for Spike's presence at her side and one arm wrapped supportively around her waist and his other hand holding her hand.  

*            *               *              *                *              *            *            *             *           *

Back at the house on Revello drive Dawn and Billy had flipped on the television hoping to find some clue in the local news broadcasts as to the whereabouts of the enemy that was holding Willow.  Giles and Fred had resumed researching in earnest, scouring the books for anything that could help them in the upcoming battle, offensive and defensive spells and incantations alike.  Xander had wanted to go with Buffy and Spike to the hospital to check on Cordelia but a rather stern look from Anya was all it took for him to stay back at the house and join Gunn in making sure that nothing else got inside the house without them knowing it.  At about the same time that Wesley and Faith arrived in the waiting room an important discovery was made.

"I've got it…uh at least I think I do," Fred said almost with an excited shriek as she at first beamed with excitement but then calmed down as Giles cast her a questioning look.

"Got what Winifred," Giles said with a tired and slightly annoyed scowl on his face as he took his glasses off and rubbed his weary eyes.  

"I think I found out what took Willow," Fred said almost in an embarrassed whisper that slowly rose in tone and strength as Gunn strolled into the kitchen, with a bored Xander close behind him.  

"That's my girl," Gunn said with a pleased and loving smile on his face as he looked over at Fred, who could only smile and blush.  For a few fleeting seconds it seemed that the two lovebirds became lost in their shared look of love, but a slightly irritated Xander quickly broke up the loving moment.

"Hello…Earth to the love twins, we have a situation here remember…Willow's in trouble and we have to help her," Xander exclaimed in a slightly annoyed tone of voice as he pulled a chair out and plopped himself down in between a startled Fred and tired Giles.  

"Sorry….anyway as I was saying I think I found out what took Willow," Fred started to say blushing deeply before she seemed to regain her composure and her eyes seemed to twinkle as she finished her statement.  

"So oh lady of the printed word what's this demon called…," Xander said with a sarcastic smirk on his face as he leaned on the table and avoided Gunn's angry look.  

"Huh…oh uh…I don't know…there isn't one here…a name…there's only a description of the demon," Fred said with an embarrassed frown on her face as she glanced back and forth between Xander and Gunn.  

"What do you mean no name…Giles, that's one of your watcher books right…I thought you guys knew the names of all of the demons…," Xander asked sarcastically as he began to loudly tap his fingers on the table.

"Most of the names Xander, not all…and would you please stop doing that…it's bloody annoying," Giles said trying to keep his growing level of frustration under control as he knew that blowing up at that moment wouldn't do anyone any good, least of all Willow.  

"Sorry," Xander replied sheepishly with a small smirk on his face as he desperately tried to keep up the angry look on his face but it quickly dissolved into one that reminded Fred of a lost puppy.  

"Thank you…now like I was saying the watchers council doesn't know the name of every demon, and because this particular class of demon has yet to be named only means one of two things…either that their even existence has been seriously drawn into question or that so few of them have ever been known to exist at any one given time that the council hasn't had a chance to study them fully enough…you see…," Giles started to say with a very teacher like look on his face before he cleared his throat and launched into an explanation of how the council went about naming and classifying different kinds of demons, much to the chagrin of those nearby.

*                       *                    *                    *                    *                 *                          *

"Mr. Angel…is there a Mr. Angel here," a doctor said with a confused and slightly worried look on her face as she walked into the waiting room and looked all around the room.  

"It's just Angel…what is it…is she alright, is Cordelia going to be alright," Angel said at first with a very respectful but sullen scowl on his face as he slowly rose to his feet, soon standing shoulder to shoulder with an equally interested and worried Connor.  

"There were some rough spots but she's out of surgery and should make a full recovery, although I bet she'll have a nice scar there…," the doctor said with a been there done that look on her face as if to her she was just relaying relevant information to a worried friend or family member instead of a very scared vampire with a soul and his son.  Both Angel and Connor tried to say their thanks but instead the only sound that they uttered was a collective sigh of tempered relief as they shrugged their shoulders and scratched the back of their heads in unison.  Had it been a happier time Spike would have made a joke about it but his new found humanity told him that this was neither the time nor the place.  

"Thank you doctor…," Spike said to the doctor with his best smile of thanks as he stood up and nodded his head, trying to look his best like the opposite of what he was.  Beside him Buffy quickly stood up and smiled at the doctor before picking up where Spike left off, "…when can we see her?"  

"It'll be awhile…she'll be in intensive care for a couple of days…," the doctor said with a sympathetic look on her face as she saw the sad looks on Connor and Angel's faces.  

"A couple of days…what are we supposed to do until then," Connor said almost in a whisper as he turned and looked pleadingly at Angel, for the first time looking like a scared son begging his father to tell him that everything would be alright.  Angel was about to speak when Spike cut in.

"Don't worry about it Connor…we can all take shifts here until then, besides I'd wager that there's enough beasties around that you'll be kept busy enough, both of you," Spike said with a serious look on his face as he reassuringly pats Connor on the shoulder, taking a small amount of pride in the thankful look on Angel's face.  

"Spike's right…Cordy's been through worse right, we can wait a couple of days…and there's still the fact that we have to find Willow before someone or something forces her to try and raise that temple and brings about the end of the world," Buffy said with an equally reassuring look on her face as she walked up and stood next to Spike, ignoring the odd look on the doctor's face before she turned and left the room.  

"You're both right…there'll be someone here at all times…while the rest of us try and find Willow," Angel started to say with a begrudging look of agreement on his face before he noticed the shocked and somewhat angry look on Connor's face.  "I know what you're going to say Connor, but if we don't get Willow back then it won't matter if Cordelia gets better or not…besides Cordy would want us to do the right thing and save the world," Angel continued with an impatient scowl on his face as Connor seemed to agree with him but kept the angry look on his face.

"We'll take the first watch B, those two look like they're about ready to snap…maybe you and Spike should go and find them something to take their anger out on," Faith said with a serious look on her face as she started to sit up but then had to stop and sit back down as she slightly lost her balance.  

"There should still be a couple of hours of darkness left, and with the recent surge in demon activity here in Sunnydale I'd try all of the local demon haunts…and don't worry about Cordelia, we'll call you immediately if anything happens…good or bad," Wesley started to say with a thoughtful look on his face, as he helped Faith get comfortable again, before at the end the look on his face became serious and almost commanding.

*                    *                     *                  *                  *                 *           *                *

"Where are you taking me," Willow gasped out forcefully as the demon continued to drag her along behind him, making sure to hit every bump along the way.  

"Stupid human I already told you, I'm taking you to see my master, the might Zarathos," the demon said with an annoyed growl before it stopped dragging her, walked back beside her, and then gave her a strong kick in the side.  Willow cried out in pain, a cry that was tempered somewhat by the spell holding her body still.  After a second or two of gloating over what it had done the demon cackled and resumed pulling Willow through the dark and damp tunnels, still making sure to hit ever bump and sharp object along the way.  They hadn't gone much further when they entered a large cavern lit by torches and unnatural light sources, so as to not incinerate any of the vampires, or demons that were allergic to the sun, assembled.  The first sound that Willow heard, aside from the howls of anger and hate aimed at her was of someone chuckling in a way that seemed to indicate that the person found the whole ordeal amusing.  

"Hello witch…now that I have you you're going to help me bring about the end of this pitiful world…and this time there won't be any last minute rescues with mentions of love and yellow crayons," Zarathos said with a very cocky sneer on his face as Willow caught sight of him.

END OF CHAPTER 35


	36. Chapter 36

**OF THIINGS TO COME**

**Disclaimer:  I don't own any of the characters except for the ones like Billy and Zarathos.**

**CHAPTER 36**

Angel and Connor had a very eventful night of pretty much killing anything that moved that wasn't human, with Angel even having to pull Connor back lest he kill a dog that had jumped out of the bushes and surprised him.  Faith and Wesley had remained at the hospital, greatly because after sitting in one place for so long Faith had become quite comfortable and simply refused to budge.  Wesley had called Giles and updated him on the situation before getting some food and returning to stay with Faith.  Spike had asked Buffy to accompany Angel and Connor to make sure that neither one got out of hand while he had a secret mission of his own, one that no matter how hard Buffy pried he wouldn't let anything slip, other than to say that when finished he would have a big surprise for her that she would absolutely love.  Angel had to admit that it felt good to have Buffy fighting alongside him again, but he knew why she was truly there and he had more than a fair amount of concern as to exactly what Spike was doing, and after seeing how concerned Buffy was about it his level of concern only intensified.  On the other had Connor seemed to be fighting just too simply pass the time before he could return to the hospital and see Cordelia, make sure that she was truly alright.  What little anger he had towards Angel about allowing Cordelia to get hurt had quickly evaporated when he had seen the look in his father's eye when the doctor had told them Cordelia's condition.  

"So what do you think Spike's doing right now," Angel asked slowly with a tired and worried scowl on his face as he leaned up against a tree to try and regain his strength while Connor sat on the cool grass nearby and Buffy stood guard on the sidewalk with an impatient scowl on her face.  

"I don't know…part of me thinks that I should be scared that he won't tell me what he's up to…but the other part of me says that I'm overreacting and that I will love the surprise that he has for me," Buffy said back with a concerned and slightly worried look on her face as she continued to keep watch.  

"Does it really matter what he's doing, he said that he'd be done with whatever it was by tomorrow, so why don't we just concentrate on killing things so that we can be there for Cordelia when she wakes up," Connor added with a small hint of anger and annoyance in his voice as he refused to look up at either Buffy or Angel.  

"No I guess it really doesn't matter what he's doing…he's not a vampire anymore so I don't have to worry about him killing anyone, ten bucks says whatever it is Dawn either put him up to it or has a hand in it," Buffy started to say with an unsure look on her face before as she finished a smile curled her lips.  

"What do you mean," Angel asked with a confused and slightly unsure look on his face as he straightened up and took a step away from the tree that he had been leaning on.  

"Ever since he came back he and Dawn have gotten close again, and I've noticed that Dawn has been pushing Spike about something but I haven't been able to figure out what it was…although I feel as if I should know what it is," Buffy muttered with a slightly confused look on her face as she looked back and forth between Connor and Angel.  

"Have they given you any hints about what it might be," Connor said with an impatient scowl on his face as he twirled a stake around and then shoved it back into his pocket.  

"Well a couple of days ago the three of us were talking about…no…it couldn't be that, he said…," Buffy stammered out slowly with a growing look of confusion, tinged with a hint of excitement, on her face as she stared at a leaf that was being blown across the road.  

"Couldn't be what Buffy," Angel asked with a very sincere look on his face as even Connor seemed to be wanting to know the answer as he stopped angrily pacing down the sidewalk to look back.  

"Well when we were walking home after taking Billy to the emergency room we…well we…talked about getting married…but Spike said that he couldn't until he was somebody…that on paper he didn't exist," Buffy forced out slowly at first but at the end she sped up quickly, being fearful of Angel's reaction.  To her amazement other than a breathless gasp Angel kept his emotions in check.  

"So now you're thinking that he went to do something about that…not existing on paper I mean," Angel asked with a forced look of calm on his face as inside him what the thought of what Spike was doing would mean he was forced to stare at the ground instead of looking Buffy in the eye and letting her see the maelstrom of emotions within him.  

"That could be it…he did say that whatever he was doing he was going to need Giles' help to get it done…and if he wanted to get what he'd need to exist on paper then Giles could help him there," Buffy said with a calm look of acknowledgement on her face along with the well hidden beginning's of a smile. 

"That's a big step…if that's what he's doing…you ready for that," Angel stammered out solemnly as he used his heel to scratch out a weed that had sprouted up in between the sidewalk and the curb.  

"When we first talked about it at the hospital and then on the way home I wasn't sure…but now…yeah I think I am…finally," Buffy said with a reserved smile that she tried to contain but ultimately failed as the thought of marrying Spike made her whole face light up, something that even Connor noticed.  

"Well we've done enough…sitting around here and talking, we should keep going," Angel said with an impatient scowl on his face before he quickly set off down the sidewalk, no letting Connor or Buffy interrupt.  

"Whatever you say Angel…," Buffy said with a deep sigh and a confused look on her face as she and Connor shared an odd look before the two fell into step behind Angel as he disappeared into the night.

*                       *                   *                *                 *                  *               *                *

"So you came from an alternate dimension…cool," Xander said with a broad smile on his face as his eyes lit up at the thought.

"Not exactly, I was born in Texas and then got sucked through a portal after I moved to California," Fred said with a slightly embarrassed look on her face as she shuffled her feet and glanced over at Gunn.  

"Wow…that happened to me once…I went to a dimension where bunnies ruled the world and human were being forced to…uh never mind," Anya started to say with a big excited grin on her face before she seemingly realized what she was saying and she quickly clammed up and looked away.  

"Winifred…if I may ask, what was the dimension called exactly…for future reference of course…," Giles asked with a flustered look on his face as he slipped a white handkerchief out of his pocket and proceeded to begin to clean his glasses.

"Pylea…it wasn't a very nice place…the humans there didn't have any rights whatsoever, I was luckily able to escape and hide from the patrols long enough to make a home in a cave…I got along well enough, then Angel and the others came, and Wesley figured out that Wolfram and Hart even existed in Pylea…actually that's how we all got back," Fred said with a growing look of excitement on her face as she seemed happy to be telling the tale.  

"Yeah…and they made Cordelia their queen…," Gunn said through small fits of half contained laughter as everyone that was sitting around the table, except Fred, looked at him like he had grown an extra head or something.  

"Charles," Fred said, verbally chiding her boyfriend, as she playfully slapped his arm and tried to look angry, but failed miserably.  

"Cordelia…a queen…hah…I bet she loved that," Xander sputtered out after an initial loosely controlled fit of laughter.

"Yeah…she did, I remember when we tried to come back she tried to bring back a few things…although after we got back we learned what had happened to Buffy," Gunn started to say, still with a wide smile on his face, before he got to the memory of the look on Willow's face as they triumphantly strode through the Hyperion's front doors.  

"Yeah…Willow kinda volunteered for that duty…Dawn wouldn't come out of her room…I had to work…and…," Xander said very sadly as suddenly he couldn't look anyone in the eye so instead he focused his gaze on the ancient tome lying directly in front of him.  

"Definitely not our finest hour…," Giles said with such a sad look on his face that those sitting around the table thought that he was about to tear up and possibly cry.  Feeling empathy for him Fred laid a supportive hand on his shoulder and mustered up her most sincere smile.  "Thank you Fred," he continued softly with a smile and slight nod of his head. 

"Hey…here to help," Fred replied back with a short giggle and shrug of her shoulders before she returned her gaze to the mystical book that she was searching through earlier.  

"That's what we're all here for Fred, but so far we've come up with absolutely nothing, and I'm sorry to say but I highly doubt that any stories of the yellow crayon variety will work this time," Xander said with a very unhappy frown on his face before Anya equaled his frown as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and then laid her head on his shoulder.  

"So then we just have to come up with a different plan…one without yellow crayons," Dawn said with a serious look on her face and tone to her voice as she and Billy stepped into the kitchen and came to stand near Xander and Anya.  

"We're working on it now Dawn," Giles said with a tired and serious look on his face as he scratched his cheek.  

"Well we need to work faster, that demon that has Willow is probably already trying to make her raise that temple and end the world," Dawn gasped out with a scared look on her face as Billy put his arm around her and the led her over to lean up against the fridge.  

"I doubt they're doing it now Dawn, while Willow could be trying to raise the temple at this moment I highly doubt it, I believe that when they try to make her raise the temple they will have plenty of reinforcements surrounding her, keeping us from getting to her," Giles said with an unhappy frown on his face as he leaned back in his chair and looked up at the younger Summers, who frowned back sadly at him.  

"And they'll keep us away just long enough for her to raise the temple I bet," Xander said sadly as he shook his head and clenched his hands into fists.  

"Of course…then they'll begin with the killing and the maiming and the…," Anya started to say with an excited smile on her face before everyone in the room yelled, "Anya!"  "What…I don't…oh," she continued with a confused look on her face before she realized what she had been saying and she blushed deeply.  

"So what do we do about it, I don't know about you but I'm not going to sit around here and just let them," Gunn replied angrily as he stood up and glared down at Anya, who seemed to cringe and hide behind Xander.  

"So now we just have to figure out how to free Willow without killing her," Giles said with a serious look on his face, a look that was soon shared by everyone else in the room as they all pondered ways to free Willow without hurting her.

*                    *                    *                 *                   *                 *                  *                *

After leaving the hospital Spike had quickly returned to Buffy's house and had gone over a few things with Giles.  Their conversation had been short and brief, and when Spike had first told Giles why he wanted to talk to him the old Watcher had felt like he was going to have a heart attack.  But after further assessing the situation Giles had reluctantly agreed with Spike, although not verbally, about what he wanted.  The one thing, on top of all of the others, that surprised Giles the most was that when Spike came to talk to him it was about much more than just getting the proper paperwork to exist.  

"There was something else I wanted to talk to you about Ru…Giles," Spike said with a very nervous look on his face as he looked at the ground and shuffled his feet.  

"Yes Spike what is it, I really should begin…," Giles began to say with a combination hurried and frustrated look on his face and his hands on his hips as he studied the exceptionally nervous former vampire in front of him.  Giles had known Spike for only a few years, but he had known him long enough to know that he was hardly ever this nervous, and usually when he was it had something to do with Buffy.  

"I know that you're not the slay…Buffy's father, but you're closer to her than her real father ever has been, and if I'm going to do this then I'm going to do this the right way…like I was taught," Spike continued softly, so softly in fact that Giles had to lean in closer to him just to be able to understand what it was Spike was saying.  

"Do what right Spike…what are you," Giles answered with a confused and slightly perturbed scowl on his face as he was becoming impatient with the former vampire standing in front of him.  

"I'm trying to ask for your bloody permission that's what…to ask Buffy to marry me," Spike growled angrily as if he had been keeping his anger pent up the whole time and was now finally letting it loose.  The gasp that emanated from Giles could probably be heard throughout the house but if anyone heard it they didn't make it known.

"Marry you…what…you're asking for my permission for you to ask Buffy to marry you, is that what you just said," Giles said back with a shocked look on his face as he leaned back up against a nearby wall.  

"Pretty much yeah," Spike muttered with a small chuckle as he nervously began to fish around through his pockets for a nonexistent pack of cigarettes.  

"Well you're a bloody fool if you think that I'm going to…," Giles started to say with a very sarcastic look on his face before Spike looked up at him with a very serious look on his face and Giles thought about what Buffy would think.  "Bloody hell…fine…you have my permission to ask Buffy to marry you…," Giles continued with a defeated frown on his face as he slowly nodded his head to Spike, who had a restrained grin on his face as he reached out a hand and awkwardly shook the former watchers hand.

"Thanks Rupert…now I just have to get the proper papers from your contact…make sure they have the proper authorization…then get the ring…propose…heh, bet she'll want Wind Beneath My Wings again…," Spike muttered to himself slowly with still the broad smile on his face as he slowly began to wander away from Giles, seemingly caught up in his own little world, leaving the former watcher to simply shake his head and trek into the kitchen to begin to do research.  

*                 *                 *               *              *               *                *             *              *

"Let me go," Willow said as loudly and forcefully as she could while the demon that had dragged her into the main chamber simply uttered a guttural laugh and Zarathos sat down on his throne and laughed at her demand.  The demons and vampires in attendance joined in the laughter as they also began to mock Willow and all of humanity.  

"You can't expect me to be that stupid…or maybe you do, have all these years with the slayer truly made you deluded enough to believe that defeating every demon was as easy as a simple spell or some stupid plan come up with at the last possible second," Zarathos said with a very arrogant smirk on his face as he leaned back on his throne and cast a mocking eye on Willow.  

"They always worked for us before…," Willow mumbled with a very sad and suddenly very unsure of herself frown on her face as she stared at her feet.  

"Well tomorrow is the day that all of your little excuses run out, there will be no last second save by the slayer or anyone else, tomorrow you will finish what you started, and I will come to rule this pitiful world," Zarathos started to say with a very serious look on his face before it changed to one of boasting and victory as he got to the end of his little speech, which was warmly welcomed by the demons and vampires in attendance.  

"You're wrong…Buffy will stop you…she'll find a way…you'll be sorry," Willow shouted as loudly and as forcefully as she could as she was no longer under the influence of the spell that had kept her from moving very much.  

"The slayer will not stop us this time, she will have more than enough to worry about tomorrow night while we are bringing about the end of this world and its beginning anew, she won't know what's happening until it's to late," Zarathos said with an evil sneer on his face as he continued to glare at Willow from his throne.  For the life of her Willow tried to come up with a proper comeback to Zarathos' statement, but after several moments of fruitless mental attempts she gave up and just frowned sadly.  "That's what I thought…no witty retorts this time," Zarathos continued loudly before every non human being in the cavern cheered and laughed in approval.  But not a single demon or vampire gathered had managed to look upward near the top of the cavern where a small cave had an opening.  They also didn't notice the figure creeping up to the edge and gazing downward at the assembled mass of evil.

"Not quite as nice as my old crypt but I gotta give the guy some points for the décor," Spike mumbled softly with an excited smile on his face as he looked around the cavern before he spotted Willow.  "Least Red's alright," he continued with a relieved sigh before he slowly made his way out of the tunnel that he had used to get to the cavern and hit the streets, running at full speed back towards Revello Drive.  

END OF CHAPTER 36


	37. Chapter 37

**OF THINGS TO COME**

**Disclaimer:  I don't own any of the characters except for the ones that I created like Billy and Zarathos.**

**CHAPTER 37**

While everyone else had either been researching back at Buffy's house or out patrolling and generally blowing off some steam Faith and Wesley had entrenched themselves in the waiting room.  Their evening meal consisted of various condiments from the vending machines.  After a time Faith fell asleep in one of the chairs that were located off in one corner of the waiting room, but only after Wesley had retrieved a pillow from his SUV, thus allowing Wesley to get back in touch with Giles.  Wesley had expected the call to be quite lengthy and detailed, but in the end it lasted only a few short minutes, forcing Wesley to just sit back and wait.  He sat down in the nearest chair to the one that Faith was in and picked up the newspaper, intent on reading through the entire thing to try and pass the time.  However that plan only lasted about half an hour or so before Wesley slowly drifted off to sleep.  The next morning Wesley awoke to the sound of Faith saying his name and shaking him.  It took him several seconds to register exactly what was going on and when he finally did figure out what was happening he wished that he could just go back to sleep.

"Hey…c'mon Wes wake up, I'm hungry," Faith said angrily as she continued to shake Wesley, keeping him from getting back to sleep.  Grumbling his defiance Wesley fumbled around in his pocket for his wallet before finally finding it and handing it to Faith.

"Fine…here, get something you like," Wesley mumbled back, still half asleep, as he rolled over slightly in the chair with his back to Faith.  

"Hey…I'm the pregnant one here pal…you get the food," Faith replied angrily as she reached over and pulled Wesley back to face her as she shoved his wallet back into his hands.  

"Okay Faith…okay, I yield," Wesley mumbled back softly as he slowly rose to his feet, yawning widely as he went.  

"When are our replacements coming…these chairs are about as comfortable as a church pew," Faith said with an uncomfortable scowl on her face as she sat up and rubbed the back of her neck.  

"Calm down Faith, we'll be relieved of our Cordelia watch soon enough, although I'm not entirely sure as to who will replace us, most likely it won't be Buffy, Spike, Angel or Connor as they've all been out patrolling all night," Wesley said with a slightly confused look on his face as he made his way over to the vending machine.  

"Knowing our luck it'll be Xander and Anya…god that woman is annoying…and you get the two of them together…nightmare…," Faith replied with a sarcastic tone to her voice as she shook her head in fake dismay.  

"Well whoever it is they'd better get here fast, I don't know how long I can stand looking at the same old magazines before I go stir crazy," Wesley added with a bored out of his mind look on his face as he slid some money into the machine and made his selection.  

*                    *                        *                    *                  *                     *                   *

By the time Buffy, Connor, and Angel arrived back at Revello Drive Buffy was about ready to drop.  The only thing on her mind was of getting into bed as quickly as possible and sleeping as long as possible.  Angel wanted more than anything, along with Connor, to return to the hospital and take up positions in the waiting room.  Connor was showing signs of the wear and tear of the night when they returned back to Buffy's house and Giles had made a false agreement with the young man if he would only sit down in a particular chair.  When Giles checked back five minutes later Connor had fallen asleep.  Angel, on the other hand, was a horse of a completely different color as he was obviously very tired but at the same time looking for someone.  Buffy had thought for a second about asking him who he was looking for before the realization came in loud and clear.  Angel was looking so intently for Spike.  Buffy could only guess at to the exact reason that Angel was so intently look for Spike but she bet that it had a great deal to do with their conversation earlier that night.  

For a short time Buffy thought about pulling Angel aside and explaining to him that she felt that he should hold off anything that he was going to do to Spike or anyone else until after she had gotten a good nights sleep.  But when she tried to formulate in her mind the words to such a conversation they began to muddle together into incoherent babble as she suddenly realized truly just how tired she was.  In the end Buffy simply shrugged her shoulders before trudging slowly up the stairs, completely ignoring Giles' pleas for her to talk things over with her about what their next move should be.  At that moment all she wanted to do was get some sleep, preferably wrapped in the arms over her lover.  

She passed by Dawn's room with but a quick glance inward, only to make sure that nothing was going on.  Buffy slipped into her room and at first she thought that she was alone.  But seconds later when two strong arms encircled her from behind and pulled her into a tight and warm embrace she relaxed and allowed herself a small giggle.  The giggle soon turned into a happy laugh as Spike began to slowly kiss his way up the side of her neck, starting with her shoulder and ending by nibbling on her earlobe.  

"I'm glad that you're home," Spike whispered in his most seductive tone of voice and suddenly Buffy didn't seem to be as tired as she had been only moments before.  

"So am I…did you wait up," Buffy asked softly as a smile quickly spread across her face and she laid her hands overtop of Spike's.  

"Just a bit…my business with Giles didn't take as long as I thought it would…so I took a little jaunt around town, see if I could find anything," Spike whispered back softly as the two kind of duck walked towards the bed.  

"Oh really…are you finally going to tell me what your…business…with Giles was…or do I have to guess," Buffy asked nicely, with a cunning smile on her face, as she slowly slid out of Spike's grasp.  

"Not yet luv…but you won't have long to find out…," Spike mumbled slowly as Buffy turned around and looped her arms around his neck, as if expecting to dance.  

"You sure…what if…I…ask…really…nice…," Buffy asked with a very suggestive tone to her voice and look in her eye as she punctuated nearly every word with a series of kisses.  

"Hmm…I know I'm going to regret this…," Spike said with a slightly defeated frown, one that soon copied itself onto Buffy's face.

"Regret what Spike…," Buffy asked with a confused frown on her face as Spike pulled away from her and locked the door before going over to a small stereo that Buffy noticed hadn't been there the day before.  She was about to ask about Spike's sudden odd behavior when the first few notes of a song played out.  Instantly she recognized the song and blushed deeply as she smiled widely and shook her head.

"Just a little something I thought up to get you to relax a bit…," Spike replied cautiously with a timid smile, one that Buffy had always loved, on his face as he walked back towards Buffy.  

"You should know by now that I can always relax…when you're around…," Buffy forced out as the first few words of the song were sung.  "Wind Beneath My Wings...," Buffy mused softly with an ever widening smile on her face as she kept blushing.

"Back when Red did that spell on us you wanted it for our first dance after the wedding…thought maybe you'd want to use it again…along with a little bit of practice," Spike said with the happiest look on his face that Buffy thought that she had ever seen him with.  Seconds later the two had their arms around each other, bodies pressed close together, as they slowly danced around Buffy's room, completely lost in each other's presence.

*                     *                   *                     *                   *                  *                      *

"What are they doing up there," Xander asked with a slightly confused look on his face as he looked towards the ceiling, the faint sounds of music wafting down into the kitchen.  

"Something that we should have been doing hours ago," Anya replied with a frustrated scowl on her face as she lightly slugged Xander in the arm.

"It's none of our business," Angel said coldly from the doorway as he leaned up against the side of the refrigerator.  

"What's none of our business…," Dawn asked sleepily as she stumbled into the kitchen, still in her pajamas after an abbreviated night of sleep.  Although most had stayed up very late doing research pretty much everyone had fallen asleep hours before Buffy, Angel, and Connor had returned to Revello Drive.  Billy had gone home hours before and promised that he'd be back by noon.  Xander had again called in sick, using an excuse that Anya had come up with on the spot, explosive diarrhea.  Giles had slept stiffly in one of the chairs in the living room while Gunn and Fred had shared the couch at one end with Anya and Xander at the other.  

"What Buffy and Spike are doing up in her room…you know he's probably got her halfway to…," Anya began to say with an excited smile on her face before Angel cut her off with a look that could have peeled paint.  

"Did you guys find anything out last night," Angel asked slowly after clearing his throat and walking into the kitchen, carefully avoiding the first few rays of sunlight that filtered softly into the room.  

"Fred found something about that demon that took Willow in one of Giles' old watcher books…but all it had was a description of the thing…no name," Xander said sadly as he suddenly looked more like a puppy dog that had lost its toy.  

"Well at least it's a start right," Angel said with a let down look of hope on his face as he fully stood back up and then walked out of the room. 

"He must not have had a very good night," Dawn said with a bummed out frown as she looked first at Xander and then at Anya.  

"I don't think that any of us did Dawnie…but Anya and I have to be going, we're next up to relieve Faith and Wesley at the hospital," Xander replied with an unhappy with the world look on his face as he stood up and pulled up a slightly tired looking Anya with him.  

"Do we have to, Cordelia's just lying there in a hospital bed, she's not a puppy," Anya asked defiantly as she lightly glared over at Xander as Dawn started making herself breakfast.  

"Someone needs to be there when she wakes up, and it'd be best if it were a friendly face, and she's not a puppy," Xander replied at first with a forced look of calm on his face before at the end the look on is face changed to one of anger as he stormed out of the kitchen.  

*                 *               *                *                 *                 *               *              *             *

After her long meeting with Zarathos a trio of vampire had accompanied her back to her cell and made sure that she was inside with the door firmly locked before they left.  Much to her horror Willow found that the cell had a special spell placed on it.  A spell that canceled out any magic that anyone tried to cast within its limits.  After almost cursing Willow sat down to try and tend as best she could to her various bumps and bruises.  She was thankful to find that there were no cuts only a wide variety of different colored bruises.  A few of the bruises looked bad enough to last for quite some time.  Despite her seemingly dire situation the inclination to laugh suddenly hit Willow full force and she stifled, as best she could, the laugh fit that soon followed.  The laugh fit soon slackened off and then quit altogether as Dawn heard the beginnings of a chant that she would remember until the day that she died.  The chant was only the first of a series of spells that would raise the unholy temple and bring about the end of the world.  The continued chanting sent a shiver down her spine.  The last thing that Willow saw before the lights entirely blinked out was a line of several heavily robed figures passing by her cell.

*                    *                  *                     *                   *                    *                       *

It took her some time to come down off of the high that she was on.  Since returning home she had slept with Spike and gotten some of the most peaceful hours of slumber that she had ever known, with dreams of Spike and the future front and center.  She relished in the realization that these dreams were not in any way slayer dreams, ones that usually foretold some type of death and or destruction, but normal happy dreams about the man that she loved with all of her heart and soul.  She woke up slowly, not knowing exactly how long she had been out, to find herself firmly encircled by Spike's arms.  For she knew not how long she just laid there and relished in the feeling of his arms around her and his naked body pressed against hers.  She still marveled at the sound of Spike breathing so close to her.  Sure she had heard him breathe before, but in those situations the breaths had been more about a reflex than a necessity.  Buffy's next target of scrutiny became Spike's scent, where once it had been a cocktail of cigarettes and booze now it more closely resembled a normal man, soap mixed with shampoo, cologne, and an inherent scent that when she caught it drove her wild with thoughts that would most likely have made Giles suffer a heart attack if he were to ever learn of them.  Not because they were about him but Buffy had a feeling that if she ever went into detail about what she and Spike did behind the closed door of her room it'd be too much for her old watcher to take.  That thought started to bring a smile to her face before the thought was interrupted as the delicate hairs on the back of her neck suddenly stood on end and send a welcome tingling sensation throughout her body.

"About time you woke up," Buffy mumbled softly before a giggle took control over her body and forced itself out, a giggle that Spike soon joined in with before he responded.  

"Had to get my beauty sleep pet…you understand," Spike whispered back softly as he stopped blowing on the back of Buffy's neck and leaned in closer and began to nibble softly on her earlobe.  

"You and beauty sleep, three words that I never thought that I'd ever hear used in conjunction…," Buffy replied with a fake mocking tone to her voice as Spike allowed her roll over so that she now faced him, their lips merely centimeters apart.  

"Well you know what they say…there's a first time for everything," Spike said grinning slyly as a sparkle lit up his deep baby blues and he brought his hand up slowly by drawing a line up her body, starting at her hips and ending with a soft dusting on her cheek.  

"That could be the summary of your life huh…I wish we could stay just like this forever, but then Giles would say that it wouldn't be proper for the slayer to act this way and Xander…well Xander would…I don't even want to know what Xander would do," Buffy replied with a fake pout on her face, one that Spike quickly remedied with a soft kiss on her lips, before she smiled at the thought of what Xander would do.  

"Whatever he would do I'd like to see it…but," Spike started to say with a cocky smile on his face before he was interrupted by a voice from the other side of the door.  

"Buffy…Spike…are you awake yet," Dawns voice called out from the other side of the door with a definitely nervous tone to it, one that caused the initial shock that took hold of both Buffy and Spike to turn to a highly stifled fit of laughter.  

"Yes Dawnie we're awake, what is it," Buffy asked slowly as she desperately tried to continue to hold back her laughter as she rolled over slightly and looked at the clock.  

"It's two o'clock in the afternoon…it's your turn to go and sit at the hospital, Xander has already called twice and I can only stall him for so long," Dawn replied with a frustrated scowl on her face as she leaned her shoulder up against the locked door.  

"Our turn already…who came up with this damn schedule anyway…oh…uh…don't answer that," Spike started to say angrily before the realization dawned on him and he blushed.

"We'll be right out Dawn, just give us a minute," Buffy almost shouted out with a look of frustration evident on her face as then Buffy and Spike shared one more passionate kiss before slowly slipping out of bed and going about putting some clothes on.  

"How long do we have to stay at that bloody hospital again," Spike asked angrily as he pulled a pair of sweatpants on that he had borrowed from Xander.

"Until either Cordelia wakes up or Angel and Connor come to relieve us," Buffy answered back with a look of little enthusiasm on her face as she pulled a bathrobe tightly around her before she unlocked the door.

"Alright then…maybe we should take a shower together…save time and all that," Spike exclaimed softly with a combination suggestive and yet helpful tone to his voice as he slowly turned the doorknob and opened the door.  

"I think I could handle that," Buffy replied, her green eyes twinkling, as she almost raced Spike to the bathroom before the two pushed their way in and shut the door behind them.  Only minutes later the two were trying to keep their minds on the job at hand and take a shower, but it didn't take to long before what had been begun in her bedroom continued on in the shower.  Downstairs Faith and Wesley had also just awoken, but Wesley had left the house to seek out Sweet-Tarts, thus trying to fulfill another of Faith's odd cravings.  Angel was now sitting on one end of the couch in a deep brood as beside him Connor sat, remote in hand, idly flipping through channels trying to find something that he was even remotely interested in watching.  Fred was back in the kitchen with Giles pouring over one book after another, desperately trying to see if they could find anything that they had missed on their earlier tries.  Faith was firmly entrenched on the other end of the couch with her feet up, under a small pillow, on the coffee table.  She spent the time commenting on Connor's ability to not stay on one channel for more than a few seconds.  Indeed the only thing that had brought Angel out of his brooding phase was when Faith had suddenly lunged for Connor.  Gunn had helped restrain the pregnant slayer, who by all accounts wouldn't have to much longer to wait before the twins would arrive, was on a hair trigger.  

"Do we have any idea where they're keeping Willow," Fred asked Giles some minutes later as she leaned back in her chair, barely taking notice a few minutes earlier of the sounds of Buffy and Spike returning to her room after their shower to find something to wear.  

"No…and that concerns me deeply, from all that I have read they will hold the ceremony tonight, but if we do not know where Willow is being held…then…," Giles said with a frustrated and angry scowl on his face as he took his glasses off and laid them down on top of the book that he had been reading.  

"Well then lucky for us we do know…she's being held about a mile from here in one of the tunnels that runs through the hills surrounding Sunnydale," Buffy said with a very serious look on her face and tone to her voice as she entered the kitchen with Spike in tow.

"Really…how did you…," Fred asked with a very confused but yet very hopeful frown on her face as she looked up from the table at the two slayers. 

"After I talked to Rupert last night I took a little walk and ended up running across a few loud demons, I simply followed them into the tunnels a bit and…saw Red getting the intimidation treatment," Spike replied with an almost bored look on his face as he stepped around Buffy and lightly leaned on the back of one of the chairs.

"So what do we do now," Fred asked with a growing look of hope on her face and in her eye as she closed the book in front of her.

"Simple…we save Red and kill the big bad," Spike said with a very excited smile on his face as behind him Buffy nodded her head in agreement.

END OF CHAPTER 37


	38. Chapter 38

**OF THINGS TO COME**

**Disclaimer:  I don't own any of the characters except for the ones that I created, like Billy and Zarathos.**

**CHAPTER 38**

After a quick discussion about the beginnings of a plan to both rescue Willow and stop the world from ending Buffy and Spike had finally ventured to the hospital and relieved Xander and Anya.  Xander and Anya had been relieved to hear that Willow had been located, with even Xander giving Spike a congratulatory pat on the back, but Anya was concerned as to exactly how the rescue would work.  But after a quick talk with Buffy Anya had at least begun to agree with the plan before she got called away on some secret vengeance demon business.  The stay for Spike and Buffy didn't seem to take as long as they had expected it to.  To pass the time they had talked about anything and everything, by the end of their time there Buffy knew everything about how Spike had gotten his soul back and how Willow had played into the ordeals.  By the end of their tenure at the hospital Buffy was lying down on one of the couches with her head, lying on a small pillow, in Spike's lap as he gently ran his hands through her hair and softly caressed her cheek.  Buffy had continued to ask him very pointed questions about what he had said earlier that day while they were dancing in her room but Spike had been able, but only barely, to keep her off course.  But try as he might he could sense that she was getting close to the truth, and it sent a wave of joy through his heart that it seemed she wanted that truth as much as he did.  

"Whatever you're up to Dawn put you up to it right," Buffy asked with a very demanding look on her face as she turned her head slightly and gazed up at Spike.  At her demanding question Spike seemed to stiffen a bit, but only for a few seconds. 

"What gave you that idea luv…," Spike asked with a hint of fear in his voice, fear that she knew what he was planning to do. 

"I've seen you two talking to each other lately, and every time I come around you two clam up like I'm a spy or something," Buffy replied with a slightly confused look on her face as she turned her head and looked up into Spike's baby blues.  

"Your minds playing tricks with you again pet, we were just having a friendly conversation that the Bit would like to keep private," Spike said with a bemused smirk on his face as he lightly ran the back of his hand along Buffy's jaw.  

"Is something wrong…," Buffy asked with a worried look on her face as she started to get up but Spike lightly pushed her back down.

"Don't worry Buffy…nothing's wrong, you know how Dawn is, likes to keep things private, not worry everyone else with her problems," Spike said with a calming look on his face as Buffy reluctantly complied and laid back down.  

"That's gotten her into a lot of trouble before if you'll remember," Buffy said with a look of some concern on her face as she turned her head back to stare at the small table in front of her.  

"No trouble this time, just a little something that she needed my help with, you shouldn't worry your pretty little head about it," Spike said with a sheepish grin on his face that he was glad Buffy didn't notice.

"My pretty little head…have you and Dawn been watching old movies on cable again," Buffy shot back with a demanding look on her face as she looked back up at Spike.  Spike swallowed hard and thought for a moment before responding.

"Would you believe that she forced me to…," Spike said back with as sincere a look on his face as he could muster at that moment.  

*                        *                  *                     *                   *                 *                *             *

It was only a couple of hours away from sundown and to say that Angel was getting restless was an understatement.  The two and a half century old vampire had paced back and forth in the basement for the past two hours after getting into a disagreement with Giles as to how exactly to extricate Willow and kill the demon that was obviously holding her without ending the world in the process.  The two had agreed to go to opposite corners to try and calm down.  Giles had gone out into the back yard to stand by the tree that Spike favored as his old stalking spot.  Against his parents wishes Billy had snuck out again and showed up just in time to give Dawn the support that she needed as she felt that everyone in the room was ignoring her.  Although in truth it was Gunn and Fred's turn to go and stay at the hospital to watch over Cordelia it was Faith and Wesley who returned to the hospital to relieve Spike and Buffy.  Around dinner time Faith had begun experiencing some sharp pains in her stomach, fearing that something was wrong with the twins Wesley and Faith had readily decided that since they were obviously going to the hospital anyway that they'd take the next watch.  After they had left Fred had begun drawing one map after another of the surrounding area.  She was intent on putting on either some type of presentation when the entire group would be assembled again or the maps could be used for planning the rescue, but without the presentation.  

"She's really that powerful…she can really raise the temple," Connor asked with a look of unbelief on his face as Faith and Wesley walked out of the door and got into Wesley's SUV.  

"For the thousandth time yes, if I hadn't stopped her with the yellow crayon story last summer she would have raised the temple already," Xander answered with a frustrated look on his face as he ran a hand through his hair.  

"Then why not just destroy the temple, why can't we just do that," Connor asked, seemingly growing more and more frustrated with every passing moment.  

"It's not that easy…or at least I don't think that it is…yeah we could do that…wait…I'm not sure," Anya said quickly, alternating between an excited look and one of the complete confusion and concern.  

"That made absolutely no sense at all," Gunn said with a thoroughly confused look on his face, on that Xander pretty accurately mirrored.  

"That's Anya for ya…," Xander said with a small chuckle that ended rather abruptly when Anya angrily slugged him in the shoulder.  "Sorry…," he continued with a very apologetic frown on his face.  

"That's better," Anya exclaimed very triumphantly as she crossed her arms and smiled widely as if she had just won the grand prize.  

"If we're done with the childish talk can we please get down to business," Giles said appearing in the doorway with an unhappy scowl on his face.  Everyone in the room, save Connor, shrugged their shoulders and seemed ready to talk.  Connor however seemed ready to get angry and fight for his suggestion but he almost instantly changed his mind and mood when Angel came back up from the basement.

"We're only going to get one shot at this Giles, we have to be sure about everything, nothing can be left up to chance," Angel said with a very grim look on his face 

*                 *                  *                  *                   *              *                *                    *

"We're almost there Faith…," Wesley said very nervously as he pulled into the hospitals parking lot and began the immediate search for a parking space.  After Faith had begun having the pains in her stomach he had been worried that perhaps something was wrong with the twins and they would have to be delivered early.  Faith had mirrored that concern and pushed Wesley until he had called the hospital and told them that they were coming in and what the problem was. 

"That supposed to make me…happy…ow," Faith started to say with an angry scowl on her face as she glared over at Wesley before she cried out in pain and grabbed her stomach.  Wesley slammed on the brakes and a car behind them almost rear-ended them.  

"Faith…what's wrong…the pains are back aren't they," Wesley asked with a very worried look on his face as he completely ignored the profanity laced tired aimed at him by the driver of the car behind them.  Faith started to reply but then grunted in pain, but lesser than the time before, as she doubled over as best she could in her seatbelt and then tried to calm down.  

"What the fuck is going on…I feel like my…ow…insides are on fire," Faith cried out in a combination of anger and pain as she clutched her stomach and looked to Wesley for help.  In a desperate attempt to help Faith Wesley quickly pulled into the first open parking spot that he saw and shut the car off before he shoved his keys into his pocket and turned to help Faith get out of her seatbelt.  

"I don't know…but we're going to find out," Wesley replied with a very serious and worried look on his face as he opened his door and quickly slipped out before shutting it and rushing around to the other side of the SUV to help Faith out.  

"Well we'd better find out fast…I don't know how much more of this I can take," Faith said with a pained and frustrated scowl on her face as Wesley helped her out of her seat and then towards the hospital.  

Faith and Wesley entered the hospital and Wesley was quickly able to find a doctor to help Faith. It had been greatly because Faith had grabbed a passing nurse and almost broken her hand when the nurse had been unable to help them.  On the way to an examination room they had bumped into Buffy, who had gone for a walk and was on her way back towards the waiting room and Spike.  After some thought Buffy had rushed away and gone and told Spike what was going on before she came back just as Faith and Wesley were entering the first open examination room that they could find.  About an hour later, and after so many tests that Faith's questions had become quickly laced with every profanity that she knew of, the doctor came back into the room with the results of all of the tests.  Much to Wesley's chagrin the doctor didn't look to be very emboldened by the results of the tests, if anything the doctor seemed to be thoroughly confused and even a little scared.  When he had entered the room he had been sure to stay as far away form Faith as he could without letting it become apparent.  

"Well doctor, what's going on," Buffy asked first before either Wesley or Faith could ask the question that had been on all of their minds.

"Well…the good news is that the twins appear to be fine…they don't seem to have suffered any ill effects from…whatever this is," the doctor replied with a sheepish smile and shrug of his shoulders as he looked around the room.  

"And what's the bad news…," Wesley asked with a growing look of concern on his face as he gingerly took Faith's hand, hoping that she wouldn't tense up and smash every bone in his hand.  

"Well…the bad news…is that after looking through all of the test results…I have no idea what's causing your pain, everything checks out normal," the doctor said with a very fearful look on his face as he slowly began to inch his way towards the door, all the while keeping his gaze fixed on Wesley and Faith.  

"But then how do you explain…," Buffy interjected with a confused and worried look on her face as she stepped in between Faith and the doctor.

"I can't…I'm sorry," the doctor said before making a hasty retreat out of the room, leaving Buffy and Wesley to try and calm a very agitated and nervous Faith.  Who even through the passing bouts of pain seemed ready at a moments notice to charge out of the room and attack the first doctor that she saw.  

"Faith…calm down…," Wesley began to say with a combination look of fear and worry about the condition that things were in before Faith interrupted him.

"Quit telling me to calm down…would you be calm if you felt like someone was setting off fireworks inside your body," Faith growled angrily as she looked ready to rip the iv out of her arm and leave the hospital.  For a second or two the room was silent before Buffy stepped in as Wesley was about to respond.

"Maybe this has something to do with the fact that she's a slayer…there's been so few slayer pregnancies that for all we know this could be normal," Buffy said with a fake look of hope on her face as she looked back and forth between Faith and Wesley.  

"This is not fucking normal…," Faith yelled so angrily that both Wesley and Buffy cringed and both half expected to have to physically restrain her.  

"Maybe it's so bad because you're having twins…the pain could be a way of telling you that your twins are special," Buffy continued with a worried and frustrated look on her face as she quickly walked over and made sure that the door was shut and locked.  

"That's possible, with one child the pain might be manageable enough…more like just an advanced level of discomfort, but with twins it would be…much worse," Wesley said with a very scholarly look on his face, one that reminded Buffy of the look that he had been wearing the first time she had seen him.  Now that she took a moment to look she realized just how much her former short term watcher had changed.  Gone was the geeky and completely terrified innocent that had first arrived in Sunnydale.  In his place was a battle and life hardened man that was fiercely holding on to his only anchor in the world.  Beside him Buffy took in how much Faith had changed.  Gone was the slayer that had cared almost solely for herself.  She had been transformed into a woman that Buffy thought that she'd never see.  While the old Faith was plainly still there in being quick to anger and easily jumping to conclusions the new Faith, the one that cared more someone other than herself, was also shining forth.  

"Well thank you for the analysis professor, now how's that supposed to help me," Faith asked angrily as she grabbed Wesley by the collar of his shirt and pulled him close.  

"I'm not sure, but if that's true then at least we'd know what was causing it," Wesley answered with a worried look on his face as he was able to slowly extricate himself from Faith's grasp. 

"Well now…that just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside," Faith said with a very sarcastic look on her face and tone to her voice as she shook her head and leaned back in the bed while Buffy sighed deeply and shook her head.

*                       *                   *                 *                  *                   *                        *

"What about us Giles, what do you want us to do," Billy asked the former watcher with a look of great anticipation on his face, a look that was mirrored by a very close by Dawn.  Giles studied the two teenagers before him for a few seconds before he responded.

"Well…I have a very important job for the two of you…I want you two to go to the hospital and stay with Faith and Wesley and watch over Cordelia," Giles said with a very watcher like frown on his face as he took his glasses off and began to slowly clean them.  He didn't have to wait very long for Dawn's expected rebuttal.  

"But Giles…," Dawn began to reply with a very frustrated and defensive frown on her face as her hands went to her hips and suddenly Giles noticed that Buffy had acted in the exact same way many times before.  The thought brought a quick smile to his face.  

"Don't but Giles me Dawn…neither one of you is ready for this kind of operation, we need the two of you to be somewhere safe and out of the line of fire," Giles explained with a very fatherly look on his face as Billy looked over at Dawn.  

"Do you think they'll attack the hospital," Billy asked Giles with a somewhat concerned look on his face as Dawn gave him an odd look.  

"What…oh uh…I don't know…they'll probably be to concerned with the raising of the temple, but they could attack the hospital to try and draw our fire…a kind of diversionary tactic that would force us to split our forces up as they'd know that we would never allow them to attack the hospital," Giles then said with a look on his face as if the thought of the hospital being attacked had just occurred to him and he was angry at himself for not thinking of it earlier.  

"Especially with Cordelia there, and there's still Faith's condition that we need to know before we finalize any plans, and we have to wait for Buffy and Spike to get back as well," Angel said with a very serious look on his face as he leaned up against the wall and made sure to stay out of the few remaining areas of the house where the sunlight filtered in and danced across the floor.  

"Yeah, Wesley did look pretty worried when he took her to the hospital, I don't know if he'll want to leave her side right now…and if something happened to him I don't think that I could tell Faith…she'd probably kill me," Fred said meekly in agreement with a thoroughly scared look on her face as she leaned into Gunn for support.  

"She might think about hurting you Fred, but in her condition I highly doubt that Faith would be up to killing anyone, let alone you," Giles said with a tired sigh and shrug of his shoulders before he sat down in one of the empty chairs.  

"So then what are we up against, demons and vampires…that doesn't sound so hard," Connor asked with a less than worried look on his face as he leaned back in his chair and looked over at Angel, who looked grim and solemn.  

"A few vampires and demons are easy yeah…but in the numbers that we're talking about here it changes everything," Angel said with a very solemn scowl on his face as he slowly walks towards the Giles.  

"Then we'd better have one hell of a plan or we're not even going to have a chance," Gunn said with a grim look on his face as he slowly put an arm around Fred and pulled her close.  

"And we'd better think of it fast, because the sun's starting to go down, and we all know what that means," Dawn interjected with a very worried look on her face as she inched closer to Billy, who slipped a supportive arm around her and squeezed.  

"That unless we rescue Willow tonight the world is going to end," Buffy said with a very serious look on her face, with an equally serious Spike at her side, as she walked into the living room.  

END OF CHAPTER 38


	39. Chapter 39

**OF THINGS TO COME**

**Disclaimer:  I don't own any of the characters except for the ones that I created like Billy and Zarathos.**

**CHAPTER 39**

Everyone had been briefed on the plan and knew every move that they should make.  Angel and Connor had strongly volunteered to take point, greatly because the two still had pent up anger and frustration to get out over what happened to Cordelia.  Buffy had initially thought about arguing with Angel but Spike had whispered something in her ear and she had relented.  Soon the plan was set, Angel and Connor would take point with Spike and Buffy following closely behind and Gunn and Fred bringing up the rear with Giles taking cover nearby and being protected by Anya and Xander.  During the entire rescue Giles would cast one spell after another, both protection and attacking spells.  Faith and Wesley would be at the hospital making sure that everything was alright with the twins, a situation that also allowed Wesley to keep track of Cordelia's condition along with checking up on Dawn and Billy, who would stay in the waiting room and be there initially if Cordelia woke up.  

Xander and Anya had put up some arguments about the plan, mostly because neither was very sure that they'd be able to hold off an army of demons and vampires very long.  Giles had tried to calm them down by telling them that the first spell that he would cast would put a protective shield around the three of them, a shield that should last for most if not all of the fight.  Xander had seemed somewhat comforted by that explanation but Anya had broken in and asked what would happen if the spell didn't last the whole fight.  The room was quiet for a few minutes after that before Spike finally interjected and told them that they'd have to fight whether they liked it or not.  Dawn and Billy had already been taken to the hospital and were firmly entrenched in the waiting room by the time the sun slipped beneath the horizon.  

Angel had been digging through Buffy's weapon's chest for at least an hour before he pulled out a weapon that he seemed to like.  Buffy recognized it as one of the swords that Angel had left behind when he had moved to Los Angeles.  Soon Connor was doing the same and came out with a very nearly identical sword to the one that Angel had.  Had they had more time the two probably would have ended up arguing about their choice of weapons.  Xander fished an axe out of the chest for himself and gave a sturdy looking mace to Anya.  Fred found herself a lightweight crossbow and set about sharpening the bolts while Gunn found himself a sword that Buffy had used several times in battle over the years.  Spike started to look through the chest but when Buffy got there he took a step back and gestured for her to pick first.  With a slightly cheesy smile Buffy thanked him and found one of her newer swords that she had grown to like using.  Buffy started to go back towards the living room but Spike slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her close, not wanting to let her go just yet.  Spike leaned in close and nibbled on her ear in such a way that made Buffy crack up with laughter and everyone else in the area groan and roll their eyes.  

"You should let me go, we need to get back in there and finish planning the rescue," Buffy mumbled softly to Spike as he placed his chin on her shoulder and wrapped his other arm around her.  

"What if I don't want to pet, what then…," Spike replied with a very mischievous smirk on his face as he gave Buffy a squeeze and the pair started to slowly rock back and forth to unheard hymns. 

"Hm…I don't know…but if you give me long enough I'll think of something," Buffy said with a calm smile on her face as it was obvious to everyone else in the near vicinity that the two were lost in each other and in the moment.  Angel thought about interrupting but with what was going to happen that night and with there also being no guarantee that everyone would even live through the night he begrudgingly decided to let Buffy and Spike have this little time to themselves.  

"Well I've got a little something in mind…but I don't know if we have time," Spike said with a fake pout on his face as he jutted his bottom lip out a bit and tried his best to look like a sad puppy dog, a look that always got to Buffy whether she had ever admitted it or not.  

"I'm sorry Spike…but we don't have time to do…that…," Buffy said back with a small pout on her face as she hung her head a bit and tried not to look at what she guessed would be the crestfallen look on Spike's face.

"Actually pet…I was thinking of something else…but that would be fun to…," Spike replied, a small smirk spreading across his face, as he slowly let Buffy out of his embrace.

"Something else…but what…," Buffy started to say with a slightly confused look on her face before Spike cast a quick look over her shoulder at everyone that was staring at them.  Before she could say anything more Spike took her by the hand and led her up to her room and shut and locked the door behind them.  "Spike…what…," Buffy asked with a confused and unsure look on her face as Spike walked over to her dresser and opened the top drawer before taking something small out and hiding it in his fist.  

"Shh…Buffy, there's something that I need to say…and I'm afraid that if you interrupt me I won't be able to get through it all," Spike said with suddenly a combination completely excited and completely terrified look on his face.  For the life of her Buffy couldn't remember Spike ever looking so conflicted, other than that night in the bathroom.  That fact alone got her nervous and sent her mind racing for a reason, allowing all of her suppressed fears to begin to come to the surface.  

"What…what is it," Buffy asked now seemingly more nervous than she'd ever been in her life, even more nervous than she had been when she had met her first vampire.  She was expecting Spike to launch into some spiel about how much he loved her but that they couldn't be together, and as he began to speak it seemed that her fears were going to be realized, and she didn't know if her heart could take it.  

"Buffy…we can't keep doing this…us…the way we are right now…it's not fair to you…me…Dawn…and everyone else," Spike began to say with a very solemn look on his face as tears threatened to spill out.  Buffy nervously clenched her fists and waited for the rest of the bad news, so much so that she closed her eyes and hung her head before the tears began to fall, just like she expected her whole world to.  But she didn't expect what happened next.  "So I think that it's time for a change…a change that starts with this," Buffy heard Spike say softly as she kept her eyes closed until she felt him take her hand in his.  

"Spike no…please don't…," Buffy started to say, as the tears continued to fall, before she slowly opened her eyes and the sight that she saw sucked all of the breath right out of her body.  Kneeling in front of her, with matching tears running like small rivulets down his face, was Spike.  He was peering up at her with a hopeful look on his face and in his eye as he held her hand with one hand while holding up a beautiful diamond covered ring that was nestled in a small velvet lined box.  "Spike what…," she began to mumble out with a conflicted, but happy, look on her face as she gazed down at Spike.

"It's what I wanted to talk to Giles about, getting me my proper papers…identification, so when I did this everything would be in order…I'd exist as a human…to be able to give you what you deserved…and so I could ask you to marry me," Spike asked slowly, suddenly looking very much like a small child, as he smiled softly and swallowed hard.

"Spike I…I…don't…yes…yes I will," Buffy started to say through her overjoyed tears before Spike stood up and the rest of her words were drowned out by their kisses.

*                 *                 *                *                 *                *                *               *           *

Wesley had been briefed on the plan a little bit by Buffy before she had left to go back to the waiting room to see Spike.  The rest of it he had received from Dawn and Billy, mostly by piecing together the bits that they threw out as they tried to remember the whole plan.  Wesley had to admit that although the plan wasn't the best one that he had ever heard it did sound like it could work, if all went well that is.  A part of him wanted to be there, in the middle of the fight.  But that part was suppressed by the other part of him that knew where his place was, by Faith's side protecting her and their unborn twins along with making sure that Dawn and Billy didn't do anything foolish.  He wasn't sure which of his assignments would cause him more trouble.  He knew Faith, if she knew about the plan, would have wanted to be on the front lines, pregnant or not.  From the looks on their faces he was able to easily tell that neither Dawn nor Billy really liked being placed as guard duty for a woman in a coma.  Sitting in the chair beside a sleeping Faith Wesley tried not to nod off to sleep after the exhausting day that he had just had.  He was just about to nod off when Faith interrupted his thoughts and shocked him back to full consciousness.  

"Hey Wes…Wesley…are you awake…," Faith asked with a tired and uncomfortable scowl on her face as at the moment she seemed less like a slayer and more like a pregnant woman that wasn't having a very good day.  

"I am now…what do you want Faith," Wesley answered with a big yawn as he sat up in his chair and tried to rub the sleep out of his eyes.  

"The pains have stopped…," Faith said with a restrained look of optimism on her face, with a hand on her stomach, as she looked over at Wesley while brushing a few stray strands of hair back behind her ear.  

"That's good…let's hope that they never come back," Wesley said with a small yawn as he used the armrests of the chair to help him stand up.

"We're in definite agreement about that…where'd B go," Faith said with a small tired smile on her face as she tried to sit up in her bed but in the end Wesley had to help her.  

"She and Spike went home to finish preparing to rescue Willow while Dawn and Billy are now out in the waiting room waiting for Cordelia to wake up," Wesley said with a somewhat nervous look on his face as he took a small step back and poured Faith a glass of water before handing it to her.  Faith waited until after she had taken a drink of water to dive into her argument.

"Well then shouldn't we be back at her house to, helping plan the attack and preparing for battle," Faith began to say with an excited look on her face that lasted only until she got near the end of her question before she was forced to fit a deep yawn in between two of the words.  

"No we shouldn't, we are right where we're supposed to be, the doctor's haven't cleared you to go home yet and if those pains come back then it'd be better if you were here rather than back at Buffy's house," Wesley said with a tired look on his face as he gazed out of the window rather than look at Faith, whom he guessed was getting very angry with him.  But on this day she surprised him, showing him that at least in part Faith was beginning to act motherly.

"What…no…yeah…I guess you're right Wes…in a few months we're going to have twins…who would have thought it possible, the failed slayer and the failed watcher bringing two new lives into this world," Faith said with a calm look on her face before she took another sip of water.

"We're not failures any longer Faith, you're right that we failed at our original duties, but now our duties will be as parents, and that is a job that we can not…will not fail at," Wesley replied with a hopeful for the future look on his face as he made sure that there was room and then sat down next to Faith on the bed.  

"I still get to kill stuff right…," Faith asked with a somewhat worried and unsure frown on her face that made her, for the first time in a long time, look like a small child.

"Somehow Faith I don't think that you'll stop killing things until the day you die…although with the twins coming you'll have to cut back on that," Wesley started to say with a short laugh before at the end he calmed down and looked more like the doctor that had been in the room hours earlier.  

*              *            *              *              *                *                *             *                 *

"Get up human bitch…it's time," an angry demon growled as it kicked Willow in the side, causing her to shout out in pain as she tried to roll away.  For a few seconds Willow gasped for air as she discovered that the kick had knocked the wind out of her.  The demon seemed to think this whole process humorous as it began to laugh at her attempts.  

"T…time…for what," Willow gasped out through ragged breaths as she struggled to sit up and glare in defiance at the demon that had kicked her.  The demon seemed to study her with a curious eye for a few seconds before responding.

"It is time for you to bring about the end of this pitiful human infested world," the demon replied with a very tooth grin, an act that made Willow cringe slightly at the sight of how sharp the demons teeth were and how it seemed to be leering at her hungrily.  

"I don't care what you do to me, I won't help you," Willow countered angrily as she tried to scoot away from the demon and get into one of the corners of the small room. 

"Did you not hear my lord Zarathos in the grand hall…it does not matter what you think, either you help or he will make you help him," the demon said with a sinister sneer on its face as it picked a small amount of, what Willow had guessed to be human flesh, out of its teeth.  

"Oh yeah…tell me this then…just how is he going to make me help him…," Willow demanded angrily as she balled up her fists and rose to her knees.

"With my help…," a voice that shattered all of the walls, magical and otherwise that Willow had tried to put up, as it wafted through the cell to Willow's disbelieving ears.

"Tara…," Willow gasped out as tears sprang slowly at first and then flooding out of her eyes.  Willow sat transfixed as the love of her life slowly walked into the cell looking completely healthy and glad to see her.  For what seemed like hours neither moved even an inch, Willow's heart breaking at the sight of her lover, hoping on all that she held dear that Tara truly was standing in front of her at that moment.  

"It's okay baby…it's really me…no tricks…," Tara said softly with a kind smile on her face as she slowly knelt down in front of Willow and reached up to put a hand on Willow's shoulder.

"Tara…," Willow cried out through the sobs and tears that wracked her body as he shoulders slumped and she fell forward into Tara's arms.  But because of that action she was unable to see the bright blue flash that enveloped Tara's eyes along with the sinister smile that she had on her face.  

*                 *                     *                 *                 *                    *               *                *

Angel and Giles were about ready to storm up the stairs and rip the doors off of the hinges if Buffy and Spike didn't come back downstairs pretty soon.  Xander was sitting on the couch in the living room and seemed to have no idea as to what was going on while Anya just sat beside him, beaming with joy.  More than once Gunn had asked Anya why she was so happy but every time Anya had politely declined to say, only telling them that they'd see soon enough.  Gunn and Fred had watched the whole conversation between Spike and Buffy and then Giles and Angel's actions with a confused sense about them.  Connor had asked Angel what Spike and Buffy could be doing up in her room and Angel had only been able to mutter an answer that he'd tell Connor later.  Connor got much the same answer from Giles.  Although the former watcher seemed to be, much like Anya, waiting for the outcome with some knowledge of what had transpired earlier.  For he had avoided the first couple of Angel's questions after the two and a half century old vampire had quietly told him that he knew what they definitely weren't doing up in her room and that he heard Buffy crying.  Giles had almost been forced to physically restrain Angel from charging up the stairs at the muffled sounds of Buffy crying that only Angel could hear.  Anya was just about to throw up her hands and get to the bottom of whatever it was that was going on when a jubilant Buffy and an extremely nervous and edgy Spike came walking slowly down the stairs and then into the living room, completely ignoring the odd look that Giles was giving them and the dark glare that Angel was giving them. Xander was the first to speak up, but only after Buffy walked over and gave Giles a big hug.

"What's wrong Buffy…you've been crying…what…," Xander started to say with a combination angry and confused look on his face as he started to get up out of his seat before Anya glared lightly at him and held him back.

"Yeah Xander…I have…but  it's okay…really…," Buffy replied with a look on her face as if she wanted to say something but was barely able to keep from saying it.  Beside her Spike kept casting nervous glances towards both Giles and Angel, as if he expected either one or both of them to attack him at any moment.  

"Oh just tell them already…I can't stand it," Anya cried, seemingly acting more like an impatient young child that had ingested way to much sugar.  Spike cocked an eyebrow and regard Anya with a startled and confused look before Buffy finally spoke up again.  

"Spike asked me to marry him…and I said yes…," Buffy said before most of the people in the room added their congratulations and Fred nearly jumped out of her seat to inspect the ring.  Angel, acting as if he was in a trance, slowly walked over to the stairs before sitting down on the last step and then softly began to bang his head against the wall.  Connor looked on with a confused look on his face as he looked back and forth between Angel and Giles, as if expecting one of them to answer his unspoken questions.  Xander sat in his seat, his mouth agape, acting as if he was about to hyperventilate.  

"And this time it's not because of a spell…it's…," Anya started to say very excitedly as she gave Xander a giant squeeze and then went to join Fred in inspecting the ring.  

"Well…I…," Giles started to say as Buffy turned around to face him before they were interrupted by the ground shaking violently, an act that knocked everyone who was standing off of their feet.

"Bloody hell…it's started," Spike yelled out in awe and anger from his spot on the floor before everyone in the house forgot what they were just doing, grabbed their weapons, and tore out of the house.

END OF CHAPTER 39


	40. Chapter 40

**OF THINGS TO COME**

**Disclaimer:  I don't own any of the characters except for the ones that I created like Billy and Zarathos.**

**Authors Note:  There will be an epilogue, hopefully soon that'll have the twins' birth and a few surprises.  If there is a sequel it'll be years down the road, most likely dealing with all of the kids. **

**CHAPTER 40**

Spike almost didn't wait for Buffy to get situated in the back seat of Angel's car before he jumped in beside her and yelled at Angel to get moving.  Gunn and Fred piled into his pickup along with Connor while Angel, Xander, Giles, and Anya all piled into Angel's car.  Spike was about to comment on how crowded he was when Buffy jabbed him lightly in the ribs with her elbow.  Beside them Xander and Anya were fretting about trying to not hurt anybody with their weapons seeing as how everyone was jammed in so tight.  Giles sat in the front seat deep in study, trying as best he could to make sure that he had the translation for the different spells right.  

"Bloody hell Peaches…get this thing started already, the apocalypse is coming…and it isn't going to wait for you," Spike growled angrily as he started to get up out of his seat before Buffy reached over and restrained him.  Angel seemed about ready to turn around and yell something back when Giles cleared his throat.  As the tension had been broken Angel slipped the key into the ignition and the car roared to life.  He tore out of the driveway with barely a glance as to see if there was anyone behind them that he might hit.  

"Giles what's going on…," Xander exclaimed with a frightened look on his face as he tightened his grip on his axe.  

"The ritual must have already started…these tremors must be just the first step," Giles replied with a grim look on his face as he barely looked up from the tome on his lap before he went back to reading.  

"I don't even want to think about what the next step is," Xander said with a very serious look on his face as he sighed deeply.  

*             *              *                *               *               *                 *               *                *

When the first tremor had struck Dawn and Billy had been idly flipping through two of the various magazines that littered the top of the small table in front of their couch.  Both had commented more than once on how they had never been as bored as they currently were.  About an hour earlier Wesley had joined them after he had finally been able to talk Faith into getting some sleep.  At first she had vehemently disagreed with even the mere thought of sleep, but after some arguing she had finally relented.  The first tremor had struck just as Wesley had been getting up to go and check on Faith and as one of the doctors was coming into the waiting room to inform Dawn and Billy that Cordelia had just woken up.  

"You two stay here…I'm going to…," Wesley started to say as he stood up but was suddenly knocked off of his feet by a violent tremor that shook the hospital and sent papers and people crashing to the floor.  Dawn and Billy were knocked off of the couch and sent crashing into the coffee table, magazines and books went flying all over the place.  

"Wesley…what going on," Dawn shouted in fear and alarm as she and Billy began to get up only to be knocked back down by another violent tremor.  

"It's starting…they're starting to raise the temple…," Wesley yelled back angrily as he pushed an empty gurney off of him before he raised himself back up to his hands and knees.

"What do we do," Billy asked with a scared look on his face as he tried to help Dawn back to the couch but did it awkwardly because of his injured shoulder.  

"You two stay here and make sure that Cordelia is safe, I'm going to check on Faith," Wesley answered with a very determined scowl on his face as he got back to his feet and then turned around and tore off down the hall.

*                  *                 *                    *                 *                *                *                *

"Are we there yet," Anya exclaimed from the back seat with an impatient scowl on her face as she tried to get a good look at her reflection on the surface of the mace.  

"Anya…don't make me stop this car…because…," Angel started to shout back angrily as he shook his head and tried to keep from slipping into his game face before Spike cut in with one of his usual abrasive comments.

"If you don't he'll regale you with…," Spike started to say with a big smirk on his face as they raced through the streets of Sunnydale before the next tremor hit and Angel had to use all of his strength, even his vampire super-strength, and his driving skills to keep the car on the road.  

"That was worse than the first one…," Xander said from the back seat before he swallowed hard and looked to Buffy for an answer.

"I agree…but there's no use complaining, we have to get to Kingman's bluff before it's to late," Buffy said with a very serious look on her face as she said the last part more to Angel than any of the others in the car.

Angel nodded his head in silent agreement and kept the accelerator pressed down to the floor, thankful that most of the citizens of Sunnydale were off of the streets and not in his way.  As they continued to drive towards Kingman's bluff Buffy had quickly quizzed everyone on their respective duties just to be sure.  Anya had tried to make a joke out of her duties but a quick glare from Buffy had ended that attempt. Behind them in Gunn's truck Connor had gone from tapping his foot impatiently to quietly getting himself pumped up for the fight ahead.  Fred meanwhile was using all of the strength that she had just to stay in her seat as Gunn tried his best to follow Angel as they weaved through the few cars that were on the road and the downed light poles that littered the streets.  They raced through intersections with little care, only slowing down once to make a rather sharp corner that led out of town.  The two vehicles slid to a halt at the base of the backside of Kingman's bluff, sending a shower of gravel airborne to pelt the assembled vampires and demons that stood in their way.  

"Looks like they rolled out the welcome mat for us," Spike joked with a cocky smile as he didn't wait for the car to come to a complete stop before he jumped out and charged the nearest group of vampires.

"Everybody out," Buffy shouted soon after before she also jumped out of the car and sped off after Spike.  Angel was just putting the car into park before shutting it off when he had to duck to avoid being decapitated by the sword of an oncoming vampire.  He quickly shut the car off, leaving the key still in the ignition, and used the car door as a weapon as he smashed it into the vampire, knocking it to the ground.  

"Look at that…you put a dent in the door…you're going to have to pay for that," Angel said angrily with a slight mocking tone to his voice as he got out of the car and looked back down at the small dent in the door. The vampire bared its fangs and started to get up to confront Angel but instead it exploded into dust as Connor blade slid through its neck.  "Thanks," Angel said through the ever increasing cloud of dust as soon he and Connor stood almost back to back, desperately trying to fend of the frenzied surge of vampires.  

"Come on Anya let's go," Xander said with a very grim look on his face as he started to get out of the car but slipped on the edge and fell face first to the ground.  Luckily for him the axe that he was holding got hung up on the side of the car and so he didn't land on it.

"Xander…are you hurt," Anya cried out as she slid out of the car and helped Giles help Xander up.  The old watcher had slid across the front seats and climbed over the side of the car.

"Just my pride…or lack thereof," Xander said with a meager grin on his face as he dusted himself off and grabbed his axe.

"Then let's get to work…that outcropping over there should work," Giles said with an equally grim look on his face as he pointed out a small outcropping of rocks a good thirty yards away.  

"How are we supposed to get there…," Xander started to say with a panicked frown on his face before Gunn and Fred came up and started to hack their way through the slowly decreasing army of vampires and demons.  

"Follow us…," Gunn yelled angrily as he dusted another vampire and set about doing the same to the next one.  Soon Angel and Connor had joined Gunn and Fred and the four were now taking on the more aggressive vampires as they began to usher Giles towards the outcropping.  Xander and Anya brought up the rear and both managed to dust a couple of vampires before the troupe came to a stop.  As Giles began to set up to cast his first protective spells Angel could see from across the parking lot that Buffy and Spike were fighting almost back to back and tearing through the vampires that surrounded them.  From the looks of it Angel concluded that the vampires that they were facing now were most likely fledglings and not very dangerous. 

"There's something wrong here Spike…," Buffy said with a very concerned look on her face as she ducked under a vampires poorly aimed swing in one motion and decapitated it in the next.  

"Not following you pet," Spike answered back with a slightly confused look on his face as he rammed his sword through the stomach of the nearest fledgling to him before kicking the vampire away with his foot to free his sword.  

"This is to easy…and we're taking to long down here…we need to get up to the top of the bluff and stop them from using Willow to raise that temple and end the world," Buffy said back with a worried scowl on her face as she dusted a couple of poorly trained fledglings.  

"Well I was…beginning to wonder…the same thing, but what are we supposed to do about it," Spike replied with a cocky tone to his voice as he began to notice that the crowd of vampires around them was thinning greatly.  

"I don't know…can you see Angel and the…," Buffy started to say with a slightly worried frown on her face before Angel and Connor swarmed into the fight, dusting every vampire that got in their way.

"Buffy are you alright," Angel asked with a small bit of fear in his voice as he rushed to Buffy's side while Connor went about helping Spike dispatch the fledglings nearest to him.

"I'll live…," Buffy replied with a small smirk on her face as she looked around the clearing and was glad to see that Giles had already begun casting his first spell.

"I'm okay to…not that anyone cares…," Spike grumbled under his breath as he glared daggers through Angels back before Buffy turned to him with a confident look on her face but a slightly worried look in her eyes.  "I'm fine luv," he continued with as confident a smirk on his face as he could muster; taking a great amount of pride at the sight of Buffy's smiling face and Angel's glowering face.  

"Giles is casting his protection spell, we should get going before he starts casting the next one," Connor exclaimed with a very grim and determined frown on his face as he pointed up the hill with his sword.  

"Right…you two get going and Spike and I will follow you, and remember…don't try and kill every demon and vampire that you run across, they'll just be trying to slow us down so that we can't get to Willow, kill what you can and leave the rest to the rest of us, your job is to get to the top of the bluff," Buffy added with a very determined frown on her face as she looked back and forth between the side of the hill and Angel and Connor.  

"Be careful," Angel said with a slightly worried look on his face and a hand on Buffy's shoulder before he started to turn away towards the hill to follow Connor, who was already at the base of the hill, but Buffy stopped him.

"We will," Buffy said with a very certain look on her face as she looked back towards Spike, who had stepped up behind her and was eyeing Angel with a wary look.  Angel started to say something but changed his mind and only nodded his head in frustration before he charged up the hill after Connor.  

"You okay luv," Spike asked with a very sincere tone to his voice as he took Buffy by the shoulders and made her look at him.

"Yeah…let's go…we can't let those two have all the fun…," Buffy started to say with a sad and melancholy frown on her face before she brightened up before kissing Spike and nodding her head.  

"Or take all of the credit…," Spike added with a joking smile on his face as he and Buffy turned towards the hill and set about taking on the first few vampires that had gotten past Angel and Connor.

"Come on Fred we gotta go…Angel and Connor are already half way up the hill and Spike and Buffy aren't far behind," Gunn shouted in both concern and alarm as he grabbed Fred's arm and began to pull her towards the base of the hill.  

"But what about the spell…," Fred objected with a worried frown on her face as she lightly resisted.

"He'll have to do it without us come on," Gunn replied with a grim scowl on his face as Fred finally gave up the effort and the two raced up the hill after Spike and Buffy.  

Angel and Connor hadn't had to bad of a time in their attempt to get up the hill.   Oddly enough although there seemed to be an overwhelming amount of vampires in between them and the top of the hill Angel noticed that those vampires in their way seemed to be trying to just use their sheer force of numbers to keep them back.  In the back of his mind Angel had a fear that their ascent towards the top was just a little to easy, like whoever or whatever was holding Willow didn't care whether or not they made it up the hill or not.  The realization of that fact sent a shiver through Angel's body as he dusted another vampire.  Connor didn't seem to be thinking anything other than how to kill as many vampires as quickly as possible as he stormed up the hill.  

"Don't get to far away from me Connor," Angel tried to shout over the commotion as he saw Connor recklessly charging at any vampire or demon that came across his path.  

"I can handle…it," Connor yelled back as he hacked and slashed at every target available to him as he neared the top of the bluff.  

"Stupid kid…never listens to anything I say," Angel grumbled under his breath angrily as he kicked a vampire in the stomach and then decapitated it as it doubled over in pain.  

"Sounds like someone I know…I wonder who," Spike interjected with his usual cocky grin on his face as he rushed to Angel's side before the two quickly took out a Fyarl demon after it stumbled and fell as it tried to run down the steep hillside.  

"Shut up Spike…," Angel growled back as he tried to elbow Spike in the ribs but missed as Spike leapt away to take on a wildly charging fledgling. 

*                 *                   *                 *                *                *              *               *           *

Wesley scrambled through the halls of the hospital, trying to get through to Faith's room as fast as he could.  He stopped on a few occasions to help people up that had fallen, not waiting for their thanks before he continued on his way.  The doctors and nurses were flying throughout the hospital trying their best to check on all of the patients and make sure that those that were hooked up to special machines were still hooked up properly.  Several of the critically ill patients went into cardiac arrest and had to be shocked back to life.  Wesley put all of that out of his mind as best he could as he gripped the handrail tightly and spun around the corner, only to almost knock Faith down as she was heading his way.

"Faith," Wesley shouted in alarm as he tried his best to stop before hitting her before he ended up stopping just in front of her.

"What the hell's going on," Faith asked with a cross between an angry and anxious scowl on her face.  Even though she was several months pregnant and should still be in bed Faith still looked ready for a fight.

"The ritual must have started…they're trying to raise the temple on Kingman's Bluff," Wesley answered with a very frustrated and worried frown on his face as he tried his best to get Faith to go back towards her room.

"We have to get out there and…," Faith responded with a very determined look in her eye as she started to try and push Wesley aside, but he held firm.

"No…what we have to do is get you back into your room and back to bed, Angel and the others will handle it…you can sit out this apocalypse…I highly doubt that this one will be the last one," Wesley said with a serious look on his face as he refused to let Faith push him away as he led her back to her room and made her go inside and then sit back down on the bed.  

*                 *                *                 *              *               *            *             *               *

 By the time Buffy got to the top of Kingman's Bluff she was nearly exhausted, mostly because of the combined effort of all of the fighting plus the running up the steepest part of the hill.  Spike was in a similar condition, but as always he was trying his best to not let any small shred of weakness show through, especially not in front of Connor or Angel.  Connor was trying his best to catch his breath and looked ready to press on despite his fatigue but Angel was able to hold him back merely by his presence at his side.  Angel looked only as if he were waiting for Buffy's signal to go ahead and make the final push to try and save Willow.  They finally got enough of a breath to press on and charged into the clearing, only to be met by a hearty and arrogant laugh.

"So…the heroes have finally made it," Zarathos shouted in amongst his laughter as he kept a firm grip on Willow's shoulder.  She was constantly trying to cast any magic spell that she thought could aid her but the anti magic spell that had been in place inside her cell had stayed with her.  

"Buffy…," Willow started to yell fearfully before she was cut short and cried out in pain as Zarathos tightened his grip on her shoulder, reveling in the pain he caused as his claws cut into Willow's shoulder.  

"Willow…let her go…," Buffy demanded angrily with a very determined scowl on her face as around her Spike and Angel stepped up beside her and Connor milled around behind her, expecting them to be attacked from behind at any moment.

"You can't be stupid enough to think that I'd actually let her go…I swear, I thought that the slayer would be smarter than that…guess you can't believe everything that you hear," Zarathos chuckled out loud as he sneered at Buffy and the others and pushed Willow closer to where the temple lay.  "It's time to finish what you started witch," he continued as two dozen more torches sprung to life, finally illuminating the entire top of the bluff.  Buffy was shocked to see that the entire area was jammed with demons and vampires, but these vampires didn't look to be fledglings at all.  Instead they looked more like they had been turned just to fight. 

"That's far enough," Spike shouted as he rushed forward before being stopped by an angry vampire that seemed to only be interested in holding Spike up.  

"You're right…and now watch as your world ends…and mine begins…," Zarathos shouted in triumph as he turned away from Buffy and shoved Willow closer to the temple while at the same time dropping the magical spell that stopped her from using any kind of magic.  

"What makes you think that I'm going to help you…you want the world to end…go find some other…Tara," Willow started to yell very defiantly as she whirled back around on Zarathos, only to find her love standing beside the demon with a worried look on her face.  

"Willow…you have to do it…this world is so full of pain…and suffering…and heartache," Tara said softly with a very sincere and worried look on her face as tears sprang to her eyes.  Tears which were soon joined by some of Willows as the witch took a tentative step forward.

"Tara…but…I can't…it's wrong…I…," Willow stumbled through as she almost began blubbering before Zarathos rolled his eyes in annoyance and Tara broke in.

"No…it's wrong to live in a world where we can't be together…do this and we can be together forever…just you and me," Tara said with a slowly nod of her head as she took a step closer to Willow.

"Promise…," Willow mumbled back with a very wanting to be loved look on her face as she took a few more steps and met Tara almost directly in front of Zarathos.

"I promise baby…it'll be just you and me…," Tara said through her tears, tears that were soon joined by Willow's, before the two cried further and hugged.

"Willow wait…that's not Tara…," Buffy shouted in both frustration and alarm as she looked to Angel and Spike for help.  

"Yes it is…she came back…we can be together again…," Willow cried out, obviously overwhelmed by the situation.

"Sorry to do this Red…but it's the only way…," Spike said with a big shrug of his shoulders before he dove over the small group of vampires in front of them and drove the point of his sword straight through Tara's heart.  

"Tara no…," Willow screamed in horror as she watched Spike's sword slice through her beloved.  Seconds later the anger and pain at losing her love again became too much and the darkness returned, blackening her hair and enveloping her eyes.  "Spike…," she yelled angrily as she hunched her shoulders and turned to the former vampire before she raised her hands and began to cast a spell.

"Willow no…oh shi…," Spike started to say with a slightly worried look on his face before he realized what was happening, his eyes grew wide, and he was blasted off of the top of the bluff by a fireball.

"Spike…," Buffy shouted at the top of her lungs as she started to try and take off after Spike but was held back by a very shocked Angel.  "Angel no…let me go…Spike," Buffy continued with an almost panic-stricken look on her face as she struggled to break free of Angel's grasp.

"No Buffy…we have to…," Angel yelled back as he had to use all of his strength to keep Buffy from breaking free of his grasp and charging off after Spike.  

"Wait a minute…she has blue blood…," Connor interjected with a shocked and confused frown on his face as he pointed towards Tara's body with his sword and looked over at Angel and Buffy, who suddenly stopped fighting each other and looked as well.

"What…blue blood…Tara…," Dark Willow muttered as she still seethed anger at Spike for what he had done before she looked down and saw a sight that would change everything.  At first, lying on the ground in front of her was the love of her life.  But then only seconds later Tara's image became blurred and what resulted when the image cleared was a blue demon staring back at her with a very pained grimace on its face.  

"No…stupid witch…cast the spell," Zarathos growled in anger and frustration as he turned back towards Willow and slapped her hard across the face, almost knocking her to the ground.  

"A piece of advice pal…don't mess with the witch with the power to end the world," Dark Willow shouted angrily before she summoned up a very powerful spell and everything went black.

*                  *                *                *               *                  *              *                  *

They awoke what turned out to be a week later.  Angel was the first to wake up, having spent the entire time lying on a cot in Buffy's basement.  Connor had come next as he woke up soon after Angel did.  Buffy and Spike awoke together in her bed, Giles and Gunn had put them there after finding them unconscious on the top of the bluff and down at the bottom up against a tree.  Almost all of Spike's clothing had been burnt off and if not for his new accelerated healing he most likely would have been horribly burned.  For the most part Buffy looked as if she were just taking a nap, peaceful as ever.  Gunn and Giles had found Willow lying on her back in the middle of a crater, blood oozing from her ears and nose, with absolutely no sign of Zarathos, the temple, or any of the zombies or demons that had been there only seconds before.  They had gingerly carried her to the hospital before she had awoken screaming one night and only Xander had been able to calm her down.  

Cordelia had woken up and had gotten her own private hospital room.  Faith had kept insisting until Wesley and the doctors had agreed to finally let them go home, but they had said their goodbyes and went back to Los Angeles.  Gunn and Fred had stayed for a few days but one of Gunn's old friends had called and needed his help so they had also gone back to Los Angeles.  The high school had finally been fixed and Dawn and Billy had reluctantly gone back to school, but neither could really keep their minds on their schoolwork, both kept thinking about all that had transpired.  Anya had continued to do her vengeance demon duties.  By the time everyone was awake only Angel and Connor were still in Sunnydale with the others.  Although they had all awoken at pretty much the same time Spike and Buffy had stayed in her room for an extra day, keeping the door locked and the radio turned up, so that no one knew exactly what was going on.  A tired and weary Angel had taken up patrolling until Buffy could get back at it.  It was almost a full month later before everyone was back to health, so to speak, and back in their respective cities.  It was a few months later when everyone was together again, and that was for the blessed event of the twins birth.

END OF CHAPTER 40-NEXT IS THE EPILOGUE


	41. Epilogue

**OF THINGS TO COME**

**Disclaimer:  I don't own any of the characters except for the ones that I created like Billy and Zarathos.**

**EPILOGUE**

Buffy had been asleep in Spike's arms when the telephone rang.  At first she simply wished and hoped for it to be a dream.  But as the phone kept ringing she resigned herself to the fact that she had to roll over and get the phone.  Being five months pregnant didn't help matters any.  She had discovered that she was pregnant a few weeks after surviving whatever spell Willow had cast on the top of Kingman's Bluff.  Spike had been a jumble of emotions ever since, no matter what she tried to do to help him it ended up that Spike seemed to be more nervous than she was about the baby.  Dawn on the other hand had reacted as if they had just won the lottery, shouting at the top of her lungs and jumping around the house like a chicken with its head cut off.  Giles had been quiet and only expressed his congratulations after Buffy had assured him repeatedly that everything was fine and that she was happy about being pregnant.  Willow had mostly gotten back to normal; in fact Buffy's pregnancy had been good for the witch.  It had given her something to focus on that was removed from the events of that cool night.  Initially Xander had been furious with Spike and had spent many days, that threatened to lengthen into weeks, avoiding Spike entirely and barely talking to Buffy.  In the end Buffy had stormed over to his apartment and threatened to break every bone in his body if he didn't come around.  Anya had just grinned merrily and had taken up knitting, insisting that she and Xander would be the baby's godparents.  Since then the old Scooby gang actually had a quiet five months until Buffy got the call in the middle of the night from Angel.  

After that night on Kingman's Bluff Angel and the others had returned to Los Angeles and mostly went about their business.  Fred and Gunn had become secretly engaged but with all else that had been going on they decided to wait to announce their good news until sometime later.  Angel and Connor had continued to build towards a better relationship, with Cordelia helping a great deal.  Faith had spent the time since that night counting the days down until her pregnancy would be over and she'd be back to her old self.  Wesley had spent the time trying to keep Faith calm and help Angel out when he could.  Lorne had even gone so far as to open up another club, but this time he had kept its location and name a secret for fear that it would be destroyed just like his previous clubs had been.

*                    *                     *                  *                *                *               *                   *

It had only taken about an hour after Buffy had received the call to wake everyone up and get them on the way to Los Angeles.  Spike had grumbled about being woken up so late but offered to call the others while Buffy took her time getting ready.  Dawn had woken up because of all of the commotion and lights coming on.  After hearing what was going on she had started to go back to bed but Spike had grabbed her arm and pulled her along with him down the stairs to help him with the arrangements.  Xander and Anya showed up a few minutes later with Xander looking as if he could fall asleep at a moments notice while Anya looked like she was the expectant mother, what with the excited grin plastered on her face.  Willow had almost sleepwalked through putting her close on and in the end the group had to wait for her to change clothes again before they could leave.  Xander and Anya took Willow with them while Spike, Buffy, and Dawn piled into his DeSoto before taking off towards Los Angeles.  

*                 *                  *               *              *               *               *             *                  *

They arrived at the hospital to find Angel and Connor pacing nervously, both acting as if they were the father that was expecting children.  Angel seemed to be nursing his left hand, holding it as if it had been broken while it was visible that Connor had a large bruise on his forearm.  Gunn and Fred were trying to appear busy, rifling through the stash of magazines and newspapers.  Cordelia nervously kept looking back and forth between her watch and Angel and Connor.  Every time one of the two would walk by they'd reach down and grab her wrist, twisting it so that they could get a good look at her watch.  Then they'd frown or scowl in frustration and continue their pacing.  

"Angel…," Buffy called out hesitantly as she and the Scooby's poured into the waiting room.

"Buffy…good you're here, you to Spike," Angel answered with a relieved but still impatient frown on his face as he walked up to her.

"Well Peach…Angel…you asked us to come right over so we did, any word…," Spike said with at first in his usual obstinate way before he calmed down and hid it better behind a tired smile.

"Not yet…Wesley and the doctors are in with her now…she started having contractions a few hours ago…nearly broke Angel's hand and Connor's arm," Cordelia interjected with a worried yet excited look on her face as she looked quickly up at Buffy before returning her gaze to the hands on the watch, acting as if by watching them closely she could make the hands turn faster.

"Nearly…," Angel mumbled softy with a pained and sarcastic frown on his face as he sat down beside Cordelia and slowly tried to move his fingers.  

"Where's Giles…," Fred asked softly as she looked around the room and didn't see the former Watcher.

"He had to go back to England for something…official council business he said…rotten timing if you ask me," Dawn said with an unhappy frown on her face as she crossed her arms and sat down beside Angel.  

"Dawn," Buffy exclaimed more in a chiding manner than in anger as she let Spike guide her to one of the unoccupied plush chairs in the room.  Dawn began to respond but then thought better of it and stayed quiet.  

"I hope everything's okay in there…," Fred said with a very worried frown on her face as Gunn pulled her closer.  

"Angel…what can you hear that we can't," Buffy asked softly as she leaned closer to Angel as Spike helped her keep her balance.  

"Nothing much…a few screams from Faith…but that could mean anything…or everything," Angel replied darkly before he ran a nervous hand through his hair.  

"Have they picked out names yet…," Spike asked softly as he wrapped an arm around Buffy and leaned over as far as he dared.

"Well we're about to find out…here comes Wesley," Cordelia said with a very nervous look of excitement on her face as she stood up and took a deep breath.  Everyone stopped what they were doing and waited in silence before a very weary looking Wesley pushed open the door of the waiting room and stepped inside.  Before any of the questions could be asked he removed his mask to reveal a tired but smiling face.  Buffy and Cordelia started to ask the same question at the same time but Wesley sighed and waived them off.

"Everything went fine…Faith's fine…the twins are fine…," Wesley blurted out with a look on his face that made Angel think the former watcher was about ready to pass out from all of the excitement.

"Hmm…three fine's in one sentence…that's never good," Fred said with a worried look on her face as she looked over at Gunn.

"It is this time…the doctors are running a few standard tests on the twins right now and I've got to get back to Faith…I just thought that I'd come back out here and tell you guys the good news," Wesley said with an overwhelmed frown on his face before he ran a nervous hand through his hair.  

"Wesley wait…we want info…what are their names," Willow spoke up with an excited smile on her face as Anya seemed to want to ask the same question but Willow had gotten to it first.  

"We weren't sure what to name them until after they were born…but our son was born first and we named him Liam…," Wesley began with a deep sigh and shrug of his shoulders before he momentarily cast Angel a quick glance, glad to see the very appreciative and honored smile that spread across the vampires face.  "And then our daughter was born and we named her Hope," Wesley added with a very proud smile on his face as he stood up and took a quick glance around the room before walking out of the waiting room.

"Liam eh…wonder how they came up with that," Spike chimed in with a good-natured smirk on his face as he leaned over and lightly poked Angel, who was still smiling widely, in the shoulder.  

"Shut up Spike," Angel replied with a half hearted look of anger on his face before Anya squealed with delight that got Fred to start laughing and then snort.  Everyone looked over at her and Fred blushed a bright red as she hung her head.  From across the room Spike started to laugh, softly at first, but soon the entire group caught on to it and they all ended up having a good laugh at the situation.  

*                  *                  *                    *                    *                  *                *               *

A few months later Joyce Ann Summers was born to Buffy and Spike.  Much like the scene in Los Angeles everyone arrived at the hospital just as Joyce was born.  Afterwards everyone had crashed at Buffy's house.  Wesley and Faith had been glad because staying at Buffy's house for that night allowed the pair to get a few short hours of sleep while Anya and Willow tag teamed and took care of Liam and Dawn, Fred, and Cordelia took care of Hope.  Out of the three that took care of Liam Fred held him the longest, saying that she just liked doing it.  But the real reason wouldn't be found out until a couple of weeks later when she and Gunn told everyone that she to was pregnant.  Connor made a confused remark about all of the babies but Cordelia had laughed at him and tried to explain to him that after all of the bad times that everyone had been through everyone was finally getting some happiness, and he shouldn't jinx it.  Dawn and Billy soon went back to school after Xander and his construction group had repaired the damage that had been done weeks earlier.  They protested against going back, with Dawn offering to stay at home and help Buffy take care of Joyce, but Spike and Buffy had ended up physically having to push her out of the front door to get her to go to school.  In the weeks and months that followed Buffy, Spike, and the Scooby gang adverted a couple more apocalypse's, with the last one trying to use Joyce as the catalyst.  Back in Los Angeles Angel and his team had similar experiences, with each time an apocalypse was adverted Angel hoped that he'd be changed back into a human, or at least as close to being human as Spike was, as a reward.  Almost a year later his wish was finally granted and he and Cordelia ended up adverting an apocalypse.  Afterwards he had stumbled into the morning light and was overjoyed when he didn't burst into flames.  

It wasn't very much longer after that apocalypse that Angel and Cordelia were married, with Connor acting as a reluctant best man because Spike had other things to do.  Things like marrying Buffy at the same time in a double wedding.  The two couples had at first planned separate weddings but then Willow and Anya had put their heads together and put enough pressure on Cordelia and Buffy that the two finally caved in and agreed.  Feeling a little bit of poetic irony Spike and Angel only asked for one thing, that the wedding be held very early in the morning, so that just after the two former vampires had kissed their brides the sun would rise and they could all begin their new lives.  As they held the reception and the first dance was announced Spike turned to Giles and Willow and gave them a slight nod, with Buffy looking on with a very confused look on her face.  Angel and Cordelia were about to join Buffy in asking what was going on when the first few notes of Wind Beneath My Wings came over the loudspeakers.  

After the first dance Lorne had put on another slow song and every couple that had attended the wedding was invited to join in.  Only Giles and Lorne sat it out as Willow raced over and pulled an extremely nervous Connor out onto the dance floor.  Wesley and Faith declined as both were busy trying to feed Liam and Hope.  Dawn pulled Billy out onto the dance floor after handing Hope to Giles.  That night both newlyweds used the two best rooms in the hotel before the next day they had both caught a flight to London.  Once there the two couples split, with each couple taking a separate tour of Europe.  Spike took Buffy and Joyce back to where he had grown up and lived before the three had taken in the sights of Paris and then went on to Italy.  Angel took Cordelia back to where he had lived as a young man and then the pair went to Sweden and Switzerland.  In Switzerland the two couples met back up, with Buffy and Cordelia getting many pictures, and a good laugh out of Spike and Angel's attempts to ski and snowboard.  In the end Angel suffered a broken arm and Spike broke his ankle.  The two couples' final stop was in England to meet with the Watchers Council and try and explain everything to them.

Back home Anya and Xander had snuck off to Las Vegas and gotten married and Anya was pregnant by the time that Spike, Buffy, and Joyce got back.  Willow had started her own coven and had been able to curb her magic use a bit, only using it when she needed to instead of using it to do everyday chores.  Fred and Gunn later had their child and Fred was insistent on naming their young son Charles after his father.   Lorne had done so well with his new club that he opened up two more and then soon a third.  Connor had been enrolled in a local high school and after some initial hardships was doing quite well.  Spike came back and got work as a writer, using his years of being a vampire as source material for his novels.  Buffy had begun working at one of the local real estate offices.  With all of the constant deaths and new people moving into Sunnydale the housing market was very profitable.  Because he still possessed the power and strength of a vampire Angel had continue to work helping the helpless while Cordelia had finally landed a spot as a fashion reporter for one of the regional news channels.  With the birth of the twins tensions had thawed somewhat between Wesley and his father, thus allowing a biannual transfer of funds to pass to Wesley and Faith, allowing them to buy a house in the hills around Los Angeles.  A house that had a big yard and plenty of rooms, because more often then not they'd get a few visitors that would stay the night with them.  And as Joyce and Charles got older they spent many summers there.  In fact everyone had agreed that once a year on the Fourth of July that everyone would always get together and have a big party, hoping to keep their family together forever.

END OF EPILOGUE


End file.
